DPW: June 11, 2002

(Washington, DC) Mayor Anthony A. Williams has declared that the District is launching a stepped-up effort to remove abandoned and illegally parked vehicles from city streets.

To assist in that campaign, the Mayor announced that 25 new tow cranes have been added to DPW’s fleet. DPW has also streamlined its process for removing abandoned vehicles from the street. The Mayor made the announcement June 4 at 55th and Foote St., NE, and towed an abandoned station wagon himself from Foote Street.

The new trucks are already being used to both tow abandoned vehicles and to clear streets of parking violators. In March, the District towed 658 vehicles with only four old tow trucks. In May, with 11 tow trucks on the street, the city towed over 1400 abandoned and illegally parked vehicles.

DPW can receive over 2000 abandoned auto complaints per month citywide. Additionally, hundreds of illegally parked vehicles are later found to be abandoned.

By law, any vehicle abandoned on public property is first ticketed and the owner given a minimum of three days to move the vehicle. An illegally parked vehicle, however, can be removed from public space to an impoundment lot without lengthy posting. Parking violations include such infractions as invalid license plates, often the hallmark of an abandoned car. DPW will now immediately tow any vehicle – parked on public space – with invalid or missing tags, expired registration or expired inspection stickers.

According to DPW Director Leslie Hotaling, there are several sources of abandoned vehicles. Some are junkers dumped by chop shops. Others are simply left by their owners when they break down. Each one costs the city money in towing, storage, auction and administrative costs.

“Faster removal and faster disposal is our goal. We are working on legislation that will reduce the amount of time we are required by law to hold onto an abandoned car. It goes without saying that we want to make fines for dumping cars much more painful,” said Ms. Hotaling.

In the last eight months, DPW has also restructured and relocated its abandoned auto operation, upgraded technology and purchased other new equipment.