L.A. wanted to dismantle homeless RVs. A judge just shut that down

"The state's vehicle code currently requires that cities and counties sell impounded vehicles that are worth more than $500 at auction. AB 630, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in October, increased the financial threshold for L.A. and Alameda counties, allowing them to dismantle vehicles worth up to $4,000. That, in turn, spares those jurisdictions from going through the more cumbersome process of auctioning off the vehicles, backers of the bill said."

"A judge has struck down the latest effort by the city of Los Angeles to tow and destroy broken down recreational vehicles, handing a legal victory to a group of Westside homeless advocates. In a two-page ruling, Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin said Los Angeles officials lack the legal authority to carry out a state law that permits the dismantling of abandoned or inoperable RVs in key parts of the state."

A Superior Court judge halted Los Angeles' plan to tow and dismantle broken or inoperable recreational vehicles, concluding the city lacks authority under Assembly Bill 630. AB 630 authorizes programs in only two jurisdictions—Los Angeles County and Alameda County—to dismantle vehicles valued up to $4,000 rather than sell them at auction. The state vehicle code otherwise requires auction of impounded vehicles worth more than $500. Homeless advocates celebrated the ruling, saying the law would let the city seize vehicles that provide shelter to unhoused residents. City officials warned the decision will impede public-health efforts. A state lawmaker is proposing a bill to let every city in L.A. County dispose of RVs worth up to $4,000.

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