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PUBLIC HEARING TO EXTEND ABANDONED VEHICLE ABATEMENT PROGRAM
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
At the conclusion of the Public Hearing, it is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution as follows:
1. Authorizing the City of Stockton to extend the joint powers agreement with San Joaquin County to continue the San Joaquin County Abandoned Vehicle Abatement (SJC AVA) Service Authority for the abatement of abandoned vehicles in San Joaquin County pursuant to Section 22710 of the California Vehicle Code (VC); and
2. Authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement for a ten-year extension of the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program administered by the Police Department's Neighborhood Services Section (NSS), with the SJC AVA Service Authority; and
3. Authorizing the continuation of a fee of one dollar ($1) per registered vehicle to be collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles and placed in an Abandoned Vehicle Trust Fund at the State level to be distributed proportionally to County Service Authorities to cover costs; and
4. Authorizing the City Manager to appoint NSS management to serve as the City of Stockton's representative on the SJC AVA Service Authority Board.
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Summary
The current Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Program is set to expire on April 30, 2022. Current legislation allows local service authorities to extend the program every ten years with the approval of the County of San Joaquin and a majority of the cities comprising a majority of the population of the incorporated areas. The current participating entities in our local service authority are the County of San Joaquin, and the cities of Escalon, Lodi, Lathrop, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton, and Tracy. Over the last ten years, NSS has been allocated over $3.3 million to remove 12,093 abandoned vehicles. Adoption of the attached resolution is the first step towards the extension of this important program which is needed to diminish blight in our city from the prevalent problem of abandoned and/or inoperative vehicles.
DISCUSSION
Background
In 1990, the California State Legislature enacted legislation allowing for the creation of county-based vehicle service authorities, pursuant to the provisions of California Vehicle Code (VC) section 22710. Effective in January 2002, the SJC AVA Service Authority was formed and imposed a one-dollar annual vehicle registration fee on vehicles registered to an owner with an address in San Joaquin County.
Vehicle registration fees are collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles and allocated to San Joaquin County by the State Controller's Office pursuant to VC section 9250.7. Fees are then allocated to the eight (8) participating entities. Half of the fee is allocated based on the percentage of vehicles abated in relation to the total number of vehicles abated by the SJC AVA Service Authority as a whole, and the other 50 percent is allocated based on population and geographic area as determined by the Service Authority. The current participating entities are the County of San Joaquin and Cities of Escalon, Lodi, Lathrop, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton, and Tracy. Since the inception of the program, the Authority has received over $10.5 million, which has allowed staff to abate approximately 68,491 abandoned vehicles, 41,556 of which were within the limits of the City of Stockton.
Section 22710(c) VC restricts the money received by an Authority to be used only for the abatement, removal, and disposal of any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle or part from public or private property when the vehicle is deemed a public nuisance. Revenues must be spent or used to offset expenses relative to the removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles.
Present Situation
The current program is set to expire on April 30, 2022. Current legislation allows local service authorities to extend the program every ten years with the approval of the County and majority of the cities comprising a majority of the population of the incorporated areas. The NSS has been a member of the SJC AVA Service Authority since its formation. To continue the program for an additional ten years, the participating entity must, by resolution, extend their participation in the program. There is currently one Code Enforcement Officer and one clerical support person dedicated to abandoned vehicle abatement.
Public Notification
The public was notified of this agenda item in the newspaper on June 11, 2021.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
Section 22710(c) VC restricts the money received by an Authority to be used only for the abatement, removal, and disposal of any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicle or part from public or private property when the vehicle is deemed a public nuisance. Revenues must be spent, or used to offset expenses, relative to the removal and disposal of abandoned vehicles. From July 2011 to April 2021, a total of $3,375,351.63 has been allocated to NSS by the SJC AVA Service Authority to remove 12,093 vehicles. The cost to remove the same abandoned vehicles over that equivalent period was $2,723,850.39. The net average per vehicle abatement cost to remove those vehicles was $241.97.
A table listing the previous fee allocations, expenses, number of vehicles removed, and the average abatement cost is set forth below.
|
Fiscal Year |
Fee Allocation |
Expenses |
Vehicles Abated |
Average Abatement Cost |
|
2011-12 |
$276,283.17 |
$217,898.35 |
1,501 |
$145.17 |
|
2012-13 |
$315,550.56 |
$214,867.71 |
1,452 |
$147.98 |
|
2013-14 |
$319,263.08 |
$245,918.29 |
1,415 |
$173.79 |
|
2014-15 |
$353,659.74 |
$260,593.92 |
1,396 |
$186.67 |
|
2015-16 |
$333,755.64 |
$265,309.55 |
1,346 |
$197.11 |
|
2016-17 |
$362,154.80 |
$253,722.56 |
1,097 |
$231.29 |
|
2017-18 |
$295,554.27 |
$361,129.20 |
1,164 |
$310.25 |
|
2018-19 |
$404,338.45 |
$358,652.59 |
1,156 |
$310.25 |
|
2019-20 |
$375,290.54 |
$312,596.97 |
981 |
$318.65 |
|
2020-21* |
$339,501.38 |
$233,161.25 |
585 |
$398.57 |
|
TOTALS |
$3,375,351.63 |
$2,723,850.39 |
12,093 |
$241.97 |
*FY 2020-21 contains activity through March 31, 2021
Net revenue to the City is $651,501.24 from FY 2011-12 through the third quarter of FY 2020-21. Revenues are budgeted in the Police Department’s General Fund Account No. 3517-000-430202-100-000-20-35-000-000-.