Posted on 03/21/2024 9:40:23 PM PDT by thecodont
For years now, Oakland has been battling an onslaught of burned, stripped and abandoned vehicles that have made certain parts of the city feel like a scene from a John Carpenter sci-fi epic — and new data presented at an Oakland Public Works and Transportation Committee meeting on March 12 indicates that this pervasive issue is only getting worse.
The city received more than 11,000 requests to clear out abandoned vehicles from June 1 to Nov. 30, 2023, which was a “staggering increase,” according to Michael Ford, parking and mobility manager at Oakland’s Department of Transportation, who spoke during the presentation.
The city says that it lacks the resources to keep up with the demand to tow abandoned vehicles, the majority of which are stolen or inoperable. “The number of stolen vehicles towed in Oakland spiked by more than 80%” between 2021 and 2023, according to a 2024 report. The East and West Oakland neighborhoods deal with a disproportionate number of abandoned vehicles, according to the presentation. City Council District 3, which encompasses West and Downtown Oakland, had the highest number of towed vehicles at 605, followed by East Oakland’s District 7 at 581. Meanwhile, District 4, which includes Montclair and parts of the Oakland Hills, had just 49 towed vehicles, the presentation showed....
Though these burned and stripped vehicles are unsightly, they’re also dangerous because they attract rodents, “invite plundering” and lower property values, according to the city, and contribute to the cycle of poverty. Some are even “trap cars” that harbor drugs and firearms, Oakland Police Department representatives previously told SFGATE.
During the meeting, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan said that abandoned cars can be used to smash through local businesses, “turn tricks” and conduct other illegal activities. They also pollute the streets with fluid and broken glass, she continued.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
The point is that cars are evil. You have to get rid of all cars to make things better.
sounds like my tour of Juarez Mexico in 1966. On one side of the street were fine homes with high walls around them. The other side of the street were abandoned cars with cardboard in the windows where people slept.
I left Seattle 13 years ago for rural kentucky. If I had lived in Oakland I’d have left there 25 years ago.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.