Abandoned vehicle abatement program

In order to reduce urban blight and be responsive to the needs of the community, the Police Department has launched an aggressive Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program, funded by the State through registration fees collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

It is illegal to park or store any vehicle on a city street for more than 72 hours. It is also illegal to store an abandoned, disabled, dismantled or inoperative vehicle(s) on private property where visible from the public right-of-way.

An abandoned vehicle may be reported to a special hotline at 615-4778. The vehicle will be entered into the database and will be assigned to a Community Service Officer to locate, verify and mark. A bright green label is affixed to the window, warning that the vehicle is in jeopardy of being towed. A certified warning letter is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. The owner is given 10 days to respond to the problem. After three days, the vehicle may receive a $50 citation.

After 10 days, the vehicle is rechecked. If it has been moved, the case is closed and no further action is taken. If the problem has not been corrected, a vehicle report is completed and one of the local tow companies is notified. The tow company has 48-hours to tow the vehicle and notify SCPD.