Santa Ana, CA Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

Municipal Code Chapter 16, Article IV implements Vehicle Code § 22660, letting the city treat abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts as public nuisances on private or public property (not including highways). Section 16-110 finds that such vehicles reduce property values, promote blight, attract plundering, create fire hazards, act as an attractive nuisance to minors, and harbor rodents and insects. Section 16-112 exempts vehicles completely enclosed in a building and not visible from the street, and vehicles lawfully stored or parked in connection with a licensed dismantler, licensed vehicle dealer, junk dealer, or other zoning-authorized business.

50 et seq. Section 16-117 requires a ten-day notice of intention to abate and remove, sent by registered or certified mail to both the landowner and the vehicle's registered owner, using the statutory notice forms set out in the article. A landowner or vehicle owner can request a public hearing within that ten-day window, or submit a sworn statement denying responsibility; without a timely request, the director may proceed to abate and remove the vehicle and assess costs without a hearing. If entry to enclosed private property for removal is refused, § 16-114 requires the director to obtain judicial authorization before removal. Administrative costs, on top of the actual removal cost, are set by council resolution under § 16-115.