Abandoned recreational vehicles.

In a bid to address abandoned recreational vehicles in two of the state’s largest counties, Assembly Member Mark González, with a coauthor Senator Arreguín, would authorize Alameda and Los Angeles to implement a temporary program to dispose of recreational vehicles valued at four thousand dollars or less through a tightly prescribed process. The measure is time-limited, expiring on January 1, 2030, and applies only within these counties, establishing a special statutory framework to manage low-value RVs.

The core mechanism centers on a county-specific, low-value RV disposal pathway that activates when a peace officer or other public-agency employee removes an RV valued at four thousand dollars or less. Key steps include a distinctive notice at least 72 hours before removal (with a limited exception for very low-value cases), immediate reporting to the state’s stolen-vehicle system, and obtaining from the DMV information about interested parties. Within 48 hours of removal, notices are sent to the registered owner and any known interests, describing the storage location, reason for removal, and a 30-day window to claim the RV, along with notice of a poststorage hearing. A poststorage hearing must be conducted promptly after a timely request, within 48 hours, and the hearing’s outcome can determine who bears towing and storage costs if abandonment or inoperability is not established. If the RV remains unclaimed after 30 days and no timely hearing occurred, disposal authorization may be issued to the lienholder, subject to verification that the RV is inoperable; an exception allows disposal if the RV is operable only when it was towed due to an environmental or public-safety hazard. Disposal is limited to licensed dismantlers or scrap processors, with documentation transmitted to the dismantler and retained by the lienholder for a specified period. Agencies must annually report counts of RV removals, occupants found in RVs, and the operability status of removed RVs.

The bill builds on the existing abandoned-vehicle framework, drawing authority from related procedures and reviews while creating a narrowly scoped, county-specific pilot for low-value recreational vehicles. It relies on established processes such as poststorage hearings and notifications to owners and interested parties, and it ties disposal to a defined sequence of notices, hearings, and cost allocations. The measure requires local agencies to coordinate with the DMV to obtain owner and interest information and to adhere to procedures governing notices, storage, and disposal. Although it does not specify new statewide funding, it imposes potential cost responsibilities on the disposing agency—such as towing and storage costs when an RV is not inoperable or not deemed an abandonment after review—and introduces annual data-reporting obligations to support oversight. The program is described as a special statute for Alameda and Los Angeles, justified by findings that the counties face unique needs in addressing abandoned RVs.

From a policy perspective, the proposal delineates a structured, due-process-oriented pathway for low-value RV disposal, balancing timely removal with notice, hearing rights, and accountability. Stakeholders—counties, lienholders, RV owners, and interested parties—receive defined roles and timelines, including notice provisions, claim windows, and access to poststorage hearings. The sunset provision ensures re-evaluation after 2030, and the approach emphasizes data collection and transparency through annual reporting alongside a framework that aligns with, but remains distinct from, broader statewide abandoned-vehicle regulations. The measure thereby situates itself as a temporary, targeted mechanism to address localized needs while maintaining alignment with existing regulatory and enforcement structures.