San Diego is planning a crackdown on cars and trucks left parked on the street for more than 72 hours, which for many years has been the No. 1 complaint the city gets from residents.
While it’s against state law and city code to leave a vehicle in the same spot for more than three days, San Diego officials say they struggle to enforce the rule because some people simply move their vehicle a short distance to avoid a ticket.
The crackdown would amend the city’s municipal code to require people to move their vehicle at least half a mile to re-start the 72-hour clock — up sharply from the one-tenth of a mile now required by city code.
“People get a citation and then they move it like 3 feet or something, and they get away with it under the old law,” said Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, who represents Clairemont and the beach communities. “This has been a real problem in my district.”
The City Council’s Public Safety Committee unanimously approved the change on Wednesday.
It comes nearly two years after Mayor Todd Gloria doubled the number of Police Department code compliance officers devoted to enforcing the rule from six to 12 and bought half a dozen new enforcement vehicles for the new officers to use.
So far this year, there have been 37,231 complaints about the 72-hour rule — formally called the abandoned car rule — on the city’s Get It Done! tipster app. That’s more than 128 complaints per day.
Councilmember Marni von Wilpert, who represents north inland areas, said abandoned cars are the most frequent complaint her council office gets from residents.
Abandoned cars are a big issue in San Diego’s more residential and suburban neighborhoods, because the lack of parking meters and no-parking zones means there is infrequent parking enforcement there.
Many residents get frustrated when a car or truck they don’t own is parked in front of their home for several days without being moved.
They also express frustration that the rule essentially allows people to monopolize an on-street parking space for six days.
Residents can’t complain about a vehicle unless it’s been in the same spot for at least three days. Once a resident does complain, police issue a warning and must wait three more days to tow the vehicle — if it doesn’t get moved by then.
Aides to Gloria said Wednesday that the rule change would reduce parking scarcity, free up spaces for businesses in some areas and make neighborhoods more attractive and safer — especially for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Illegally parked vehicles often block sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks and put pedestrians, cyclists and motorists at risk,” said Kohta Zaiser, Gloria’s deputy director of community engagement. “These violations impact the livability of our neighborhoods by decreasing quality of life, increasing visual clutter and creating inconveniences for residents.”
Catherine Douglass, a La Jolla community leader, questioned why the city can’t immediately impound vehicles that are damaged or blocking access since those things are illegal regardless of the 72-hour rule.
Police officials said they still prefer to give people 72 hours in case they are dealing with a true emergency and must figure out how to get the vehicle removed.
Francine Maxwell, a community leader from southeastern San Diego, predicted the crackdown would boost that part of the city.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to change our neighborhoods,” she said.
Some critics said the crackdown is ill-timed because the city is removing on-street parking spaces in some areas to install bike lanes. Others said it could disproportionately impact low-income people who live in places that lack a garage or driveway.
City officials said the one-tenth of a mile rule is outdated, noting it was enacted in 1985 when officers could peer inside a window and record a vehicle’s mileage off a manual odometer. The change would also bring the city in line with the county, which already uses half a mile.
Citations for abandoned vehicle violations are $53.50, but people typically pay much more because the citations are almost always combined with towing charges.
In addition to reporting abandoned vehicles on Get It Done!, people can call (619) 531-2000 or (858) 495-7856.
