Dead or junk car in East Palo Alto

The East Palo Alto letter

Section 10.28.100 demands "a ten day notice of intention to abate and remove," posted by certified mail to two people, the parcel owner and the car owner. The one exception: a car stripped so bare its identification numbers can't point to an owner. In the landowner's copy, the deadline is "within ten (10) days after the date of the mailing of this notice." Miss it and East Palo Alto tows the car and charges the property owner for the job plus administrative costs. Hearing requests go to the Chief of Police.

Section 10.28.010 gives the council's reasons: stored wrecks drag down neighbors' home values, draw plunderers, add fire risk and shelter rodents.

Contest it on paper

Inside the ten days, an East Palo Alto landowner can deny responsibility with a sworn written statement under Section 10.28.110. The code treats that statement as "a request for a hearing which does not require the owner's presence." The hearing officer is the city manager or someone the manager authorizes, and both owners get notice of the date at least ten days ahead. With no request or statement on file, East Palo Alto may tow the car with no hearing at all. See car abandoned on your property.

Powers of the hearing officer

Section 10.28.120 lets the officer grant more time when circumstances justify it. Any removal order must describe the car and carry its VIN and plate number when known. The order also fixes administrative and removal costs against the land, except in the no-consent case above.

Abandoning a car carries its own penalty

Vehicle Code 22523 applies in East Palo Alto as it does statewide. East Palo Alto law bans leaving a car on a road, or on someone's land when the landowner never agreed. In East Palo Alto, getting caught brings a penalty of $100 or more, and the owner must show the removal bill was paid. If East Palo Alto impounds that car and nobody claims it, its last registered owner has broken the law with an infraction and owes what the lien sale left unpaid. A filed report of sale ends that responsibility.

REG 138 ends it

In California that report of sale is REG 138. Within 5 days of selling, an East Palo Alto seller sends it through dmv.ca.gov/nrl or mails it to Sacramento, P.O. Box 942859. DMV's steps for sellers skip the notary. You sign the title and the buyer turns it in. Regular plates usually remain on the car. Finish up with after you sell, and see California for state detail.

Getting an offer

Ask through the form or call (877) 421-6008. Send us a few lines about your East Palo Alto car and where its papers stand. Menlo Park is 1.2 miles from East Palo Alto; Palo Alto is 5.0.