Alhambra, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Alhambra handles abandoned and long-parked vehicles primarily through its own Municipal Code, supported by the California Vehicle Code's abandoned-vehicle provisions. The key local trigger is Section 11.28.130, which prohibits any person who owns or has possession, custody, or control of a vehicle from parking it on any street or alley for 72 or more consecutive hours. A vehicle exceeding that limit can be marked, cited, and ultimately towed. To report a suspected abandoned vehicle, the city directs residents to contact the Alhambra Police Department at 626-570-5151 and provide the license plate number, a brief description of the vehicle, and its location. State law backs this up: under the California Vehicle Code, a vehicle left on a public street can be deemed abandoned and removed by the local authority, and the registered owner may be liable for towing and storage costs. Because Alhambra also enforces a citywide 2 a.m.-6 a.m. overnight permit requirement and posted street-sweeping windows, an unpermitted vehicle left in place will typically accumulate overnight and sweeping citations well before reaching the 72-hour abandonment threshold, giving the city multiple enforcement tools. Inoperable or junk vehicles stored in public view on private property are handled separately as a nuisance and code-enforcement matter rather than under the street-parking sections.