Stop predatory towing. towing regulation for low-income individuals and San Jose Californi
Stop predatory towing. towing regulation for low-income individuals and San Jose Californi
The Issue
This petition calls on the City of San Jose to adopt fair, income-based towing policies already implemented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
For many residents, towing is not just a penalty—it becomes a financial trap when combined with accumulated parking tickets and fees.
This petition calls on the City of San Jose to adopt fair, income-based towing policies already implemented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
For many residents, towing is not just a penalty—it becomes a financial trap when combined with accumulated parking tickets and fees.
To: The Mayor and City Council of San Jose
We, the undersigned, call for immediate reform of towing policies that disproportionately harm low-income and working-class residents in San Jose.
Personal between:
Fixing their vehicle
Paying tickets
Retrieving their vehicle
Policy Precedent:
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has already implemented equitable policies including:
Income-based fee waivers
Reduced towing costs
Storage fee forgiveness
First-time tow relief
Policy Demands:
Low-Income Towing Relief Program
Reduced or waived towing, admin, and storage fees
Parking Ticket Relief for Vehicle Retrieval
Allow retrieval without full upfront ticket payment
Provide payment plans or partial forgiveness
Storage Fee Caps
Prevent excessive accumulation of fees
Mechanical Hardship Protection
Grace periods for smog compliance
Temporary operating permits
First-Time Tow Relief
Reduced penalties
Constitutional Concerns
Current towing and fee enforcement practices in San Jose raise serious constitutional concerns:
Due Process (14th Amendment)
Residents are effectively deprived of their property—their vehicles—without a meaningful opportunity to recover them. Requiring full payment of towing fees, storage fees, and outstanding citations before release creates a barrier that many cannot overcome.
Equal Protection (14th Amendment)
Although these policies are applied uniformly, their impact is not. Low-income residents are far more likely to permanently lose their vehicles due to inability to pay, creating unequal outcomes based on economic status.
Excessive Fines (8th Amendment)
The cumulative cost of towing, storage, and required payment of outstanding citations can reach thousands of dollars—far exceeding the severity of the underlying violations. This raises concerns that the penalties imposed are excessive and punitive.
These practices risk violating constitutional protections and disproportionately harm those least able to bear the burden
Closing Statement:
When towing is combined with outstanding parking tickets, it creates a cycle of debt that prevents recovery.
This system does not promote compliance—it prevents it.
Call to Action:
San Jose must act.
No one should permanently lose their vehicle because they cannot afford compounded penalties.
👉 Sign this petition to demand fair towing reform.
📱 .
It was insured. Registered. I was fixing it.
But because I had to park it on the street, tickets started piling up.
Then it got towed.
And here’s the part people don’t realize:
👉 You don’t just pay the tow
👉 You don’t just pay storage
👉 You ALSO have to pay all outstanding tickets
💸 Total? Over $1,000… sometimes $3,000+
That’s not enforcement—that’s a financial trap.
San Francisco has protections for low-income residents.
San Jose doesn’t.
I started a petition to change that.
If you’ve ever struggled just to stay afloat—this is for you.
#SanJose #TowingReform #EconomicJustice
My dad passed away. I inherited his truck.
I was trying to fix it. It was insured and registered.
It still got towed.
And to get it back, I had to pay towing, storage… AND all my tickets at once.
💸 $1,000–$3,000+
This isn’t enforcement—it’s a trap.
San Francisco protects low-income residents.
San Jose doesn’t.
I’m changing that.
#SanJose #BayArea #Justice #WorkingClass
San Jose Resident Calls for Towing Reform, Citing “Cycle of Debt” from Tickets and Fees
San Jose, CA — A San Jose resident has launched a public petition calling for urgent reform of local towing policies, highlighting how compounded costs—including parking tickets—create an insurmountable financial burden for low-income residents.
The petition calls on the City of San Jose to adopt policies similar to those implemented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), including income-based fee reductions and hardship exemptions.
The issue gained attention after the resident’s vehicle—an inherited truck from their late father—was towed while undergoing smog-related repairs.
Despite maintaining insurance and valid registration, the resident accumulated parking citations due to an inability to store the vehicle off-street.
When the vehicle was towed, the total cost to retrieve it included towing fees, daily storage fees, and all outstanding parking tickets.
“In order to get your vehicle back, you have to pay everything at once—tow fees, storage, and tickets,” the petitioner said. “That creates a cycle that many people simply cannot escape.”
Advocates argue that this system disproportionately impacts low-income residents and prevents compliance rather than encouraging it.
The petition proposes reforms including:
Income-based fee waivers
Payment plans for parking tickets
Storage fee caps
Mechanical hardship protections
Supporters say the goal is not to eliminate enforcement, but to make it fair and achievable.
Call to Action:
Sign the petition
To: The Mayor and City Council of San Jose
We, the undersigned, call for immediate reform of towing policies that disproportionately harm low-income and working-class residents in San Jose.
Personal Statement:
I am a San Jose resident whose vehicle—my late father’s truck—was recently towed.
This was not just a vehicle. It was something I inherited after his passing—one of the last physical connections I have to him.
The vehicle was insured. My license was valid. Registration fees had been paid.
The only issue was smog compliance due to a failing alternator.
To pass smog, a vehicle must complete a drive cycle of up to 250 miles. However, each time the battery failed, the system reset—forcing the process to begin again.
I was actively trying to repair the vehicle, but as a low-income resident, I could not afford the full cost of repairs all at once.
Because I could not park the vehicle off-street due to local enforcement policies regarding tags, it remained on the street.
Over time, parking citations accumulated.
When the vehicle was eventually towed, I was not only faced with towing and storage fees—but also outstanding parking tickets that had to be paid before I could retrieve my vehicle.
The total cost became impossible.
This did not happen because of neglect. It happened because I was trying to comply while facing financial limitations.
The Financial Trap:
Towing in San Jose is not a single cost—it is a compounding system:
Towing fee: $250–$400+
Administrative fees: $100–$300+
Storage fees: $50–$100/day
Outstanding parking tickets: often hundreds to thousands of dollars
Total costs can exceed: $1,000 to $3,000+
Economic Reality:
Entry-level wages: $20–$25/hour
Living wage needed: ~ $38/hour
“Low income” locally can exceed $100,000/year
Cost of Compliance:
Mechanical repairs required for smog compliance: $600–$2,000+
Residents are often forced to choose between:
Eating,housing or
Fixing their vehicle
Paying tickets
Retrieving their vehicle
Policy Precedent:
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has already implemented equitable policies including:
Income-based fee waivers
Reduced towing costs
Storage fee forgiveness
First-time tow relief
Policy Demands:
Low-Income Towing Relief ProgramReduced or waived towing, admin, and storage fees
Parking Ticket Relief for Vehicle RetrievalAllow retrieval without full upfront ticket payment
Provide payment plans or partial forgiveness
Storage Fee CapsPrevent excessive accumulation of fees
Mechanical Hardship ProtectionGrace periods for smog compliance
Temporary operating permits
First-Time Tow ReliefReduced penalties
Closing Statement:
When towing is combined with outstanding parking tickets, it creates a cycle of debt that prevents recovery.
This system does not promote compliance—it prevents it.
The City of San Jose has both the authority and responsibility to ensure enforcement practices do not disproportionately harm residents based on income.
Failure to implement equitable towing policies perpetuates economic instability and limits access to employment, healthcare, and basic mobility
Call to Action:
San Jose must act.
No one should permanently lose their vehicle because they cannot afford compounded penalties.
👉 Sign this petition to demand fair towing reform.
66
The Issue
This petition calls on the City of San Jose to adopt fair, income-based towing policies already implemented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
For many residents, towing is not just a penalty—it becomes a financial trap when combined with accumulated parking tickets and fees.
This petition calls on the City of San Jose to adopt fair, income-based towing policies already implemented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
For many residents, towing is not just a penalty—it becomes a financial trap when combined with accumulated parking tickets and fees.
To: The Mayor and City Council of San Jose
We, the undersigned, call for immediate reform of towing policies that disproportionately harm low-income and working-class residents in San Jose.
Personal between:
Fixing their vehicle
Paying tickets
Retrieving their vehicle
Policy Precedent:
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has already implemented equitable policies including:
Income-based fee waivers
Reduced towing costs
Storage fee forgiveness
First-time tow relief
Policy Demands:
Low-Income Towing Relief Program
Reduced or waived towing, admin, and storage fees
Parking Ticket Relief for Vehicle Retrieval
Allow retrieval without full upfront ticket payment
Provide payment plans or partial forgiveness
Storage Fee Caps
Prevent excessive accumulation of fees
Mechanical Hardship Protection
Grace periods for smog compliance
Temporary operating permits
First-Time Tow Relief
Reduced penalties
Constitutional Concerns
Current towing and fee enforcement practices in San Jose raise serious constitutional concerns:
Due Process (14th Amendment)
Residents are effectively deprived of their property—their vehicles—without a meaningful opportunity to recover them. Requiring full payment of towing fees, storage fees, and outstanding citations before release creates a barrier that many cannot overcome.
Equal Protection (14th Amendment)
Although these policies are applied uniformly, their impact is not. Low-income residents are far more likely to permanently lose their vehicles due to inability to pay, creating unequal outcomes based on economic status.
Excessive Fines (8th Amendment)
The cumulative cost of towing, storage, and required payment of outstanding citations can reach thousands of dollars—far exceeding the severity of the underlying violations. This raises concerns that the penalties imposed are excessive and punitive.
These practices risk violating constitutional protections and disproportionately harm those least able to bear the burden
Closing Statement:
When towing is combined with outstanding parking tickets, it creates a cycle of debt that prevents recovery.
This system does not promote compliance—it prevents it.
Call to Action:
San Jose must act.
No one should permanently lose their vehicle because they cannot afford compounded penalties.
👉 Sign this petition to demand fair towing reform.
📱 .
It was insured. Registered. I was fixing it.
But because I had to park it on the street, tickets started piling up.
Then it got towed.
And here’s the part people don’t realize:
👉 You don’t just pay the tow
👉 You don’t just pay storage
👉 You ALSO have to pay all outstanding tickets
💸 Total? Over $1,000… sometimes $3,000+
That’s not enforcement—that’s a financial trap.
San Francisco has protections for low-income residents.
San Jose doesn’t.
I started a petition to change that.
If you’ve ever struggled just to stay afloat—this is for you.
#SanJose #TowingReform #EconomicJustice
My dad passed away. I inherited his truck.
I was trying to fix it. It was insured and registered.
It still got towed.
And to get it back, I had to pay towing, storage… AND all my tickets at once.
💸 $1,000–$3,000+
This isn’t enforcement—it’s a trap.
San Francisco protects low-income residents.
San Jose doesn’t.
I’m changing that.
#SanJose #BayArea #Justice #WorkingClass
San Jose Resident Calls for Towing Reform, Citing “Cycle of Debt” from Tickets and Fees
San Jose, CA — A San Jose resident has launched a public petition calling for urgent reform of local towing policies, highlighting how compounded costs—including parking tickets—create an insurmountable financial burden for low-income residents.
The petition calls on the City of San Jose to adopt policies similar to those implemented by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), including income-based fee reductions and hardship exemptions.
The issue gained attention after the resident’s vehicle—an inherited truck from their late father—was towed while undergoing smog-related repairs.
Despite maintaining insurance and valid registration, the resident accumulated parking citations due to an inability to store the vehicle off-street.
When the vehicle was towed, the total cost to retrieve it included towing fees, daily storage fees, and all outstanding parking tickets.
“In order to get your vehicle back, you have to pay everything at once—tow fees, storage, and tickets,” the petitioner said. “That creates a cycle that many people simply cannot escape.”
Advocates argue that this system disproportionately impacts low-income residents and prevents compliance rather than encouraging it.
The petition proposes reforms including:
Income-based fee waivers
Payment plans for parking tickets
Storage fee caps
Mechanical hardship protections
Supporters say the goal is not to eliminate enforcement, but to make it fair and achievable.
Call to Action:
Sign the petition
To: The Mayor and City Council of San Jose
We, the undersigned, call for immediate reform of towing policies that disproportionately harm low-income and working-class residents in San Jose.
Personal Statement:
I am a San Jose resident whose vehicle—my late father’s truck—was recently towed.
This was not just a vehicle. It was something I inherited after his passing—one of the last physical connections I have to him.
The vehicle was insured. My license was valid. Registration fees had been paid.
The only issue was smog compliance due to a failing alternator.
To pass smog, a vehicle must complete a drive cycle of up to 250 miles. However, each time the battery failed, the system reset—forcing the process to begin again.
I was actively trying to repair the vehicle, but as a low-income resident, I could not afford the full cost of repairs all at once.
Because I could not park the vehicle off-street due to local enforcement policies regarding tags, it remained on the street.
Over time, parking citations accumulated.
When the vehicle was eventually towed, I was not only faced with towing and storage fees—but also outstanding parking tickets that had to be paid before I could retrieve my vehicle.
The total cost became impossible.
This did not happen because of neglect. It happened because I was trying to comply while facing financial limitations.
The Financial Trap:
Towing in San Jose is not a single cost—it is a compounding system:
Towing fee: $250–$400+
Administrative fees: $100–$300+
Storage fees: $50–$100/day
Outstanding parking tickets: often hundreds to thousands of dollars
Total costs can exceed: $1,000 to $3,000+
Economic Reality:
Entry-level wages: $20–$25/hour
Living wage needed: ~ $38/hour
“Low income” locally can exceed $100,000/year
Cost of Compliance:
Mechanical repairs required for smog compliance: $600–$2,000+
Residents are often forced to choose between:
Eating,housing or
Fixing their vehicle
Paying tickets
Retrieving their vehicle
Policy Precedent:
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has already implemented equitable policies including:
Income-based fee waivers
Reduced towing costs
Storage fee forgiveness
First-time tow relief
Policy Demands:
Low-Income Towing Relief ProgramReduced or waived towing, admin, and storage fees
Parking Ticket Relief for Vehicle RetrievalAllow retrieval without full upfront ticket payment
Provide payment plans or partial forgiveness
Storage Fee CapsPrevent excessive accumulation of fees
Mechanical Hardship ProtectionGrace periods for smog compliance
Temporary operating permits
First-Time Tow ReliefReduced penalties
Closing Statement:
When towing is combined with outstanding parking tickets, it creates a cycle of debt that prevents recovery.
This system does not promote compliance—it prevents it.
The City of San Jose has both the authority and responsibility to ensure enforcement practices do not disproportionately harm residents based on income.
Failure to implement equitable towing policies perpetuates economic instability and limits access to employment, healthcare, and basic mobility
Call to Action:
San Jose must act.
No one should permanently lose their vehicle because they cannot afford compounded penalties.
👉 Sign this petition to demand fair towing reform.
66
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on March 27, 2026