Denver, CO. City Passes Poverty Tow Bill to Steal More Vehicles from Denver’s Poor

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Yesterday, the City Council voted 11 to 1 to pass the Poverty Tow bill. Thank you to Councilwoman CdeBaca for standing up against this horrific bill. 

This bill opens the door for the City to tow and impound large vehicles if parked for more than 2 hours in a week on any public street. It enables the City to tow and impound vehicles with attachments such as trailers if parked in any public street for more than 24 hours in a week. And it enables to City to tow and impound vehicles defined as “junkers” if parked on any public street for more than 24 hours in a week. 

This bill will further devastated desperate people trying to save money for repairs or just without private property to park their vehicle.  

The bill was amended to add 48 hour notice for people who are living in their vehicle for these sort of immediate tows – however this does not change the fact that now these vehicles can be towed simply for being on public streets. It does not change the fact that a poor person does not have the money to pay for needed repairs. It does not change the fact that there is no housing the vehicle resident can afford to move into. People living in their vehicles will continue to have to park in public spaces and now, if their vehicle is large or has a trailer or is needing repairs, they can be impounded just like that – an additional 48 hours or not. 

As this bill starts to lead to more and more people losing their vehicles, we also asked Council to move forward in creating a fund to pay for vehicle repairs, an ability to pay determination for vehicles to be released from impound for free if someone can’t pay, and a tag permit for people living in their vehicles to be exempt from these insane parking restrictions. 

Starting as soon as today, more and more people will be losing their vehicles and landing on the streets. 

Onwards towards rights and housing for all…