FALL SWEEPS: A Street Sweeping and Parking Enforcement Investigation

An investigation into the City of Los Angeles's street cleaning double standard: failure to sweep streets on the designated days but strict enforcement of cars parked along them. The research revealed widespread governmental miscommunication — allowing the City to rake in millions of dollars every month — and oftentimes from batch, "sweeping" ticketings along streets that were never swept.

Research on this story began on August 28, 2009.

Copyright © Matt Schrader, 2009.
mdschrad@gmail.com

Other links:

http://laist.com/2009/11/03/video_cars_ticketed_on_street_sweep.php

http://discarted.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/the-dirty-truth-about-street-cleani...

You can pay by check or credit card, but thats the only convenience of getting a parking ticket in Los Angeles.

The printed slips of paper seem to appear all by themselves on illegally parked cars in L.A. — the result of a Parking Enforcement team that seems nearly omnipresent, and all too up to the task of ruining someones day.

But in recent years the amount of revenue from parking fines has increased noticeably, according to officials in the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, while the number of complaints has skyrocketed.

An undercover investigation stretching from August 28 to Oct. 30 revealed that, while the City of Los Angeles is ticketing every street weekly for street cleaning, it is failing to actually sweep those streets — an inaction that may open up the City to legal issues due to hazy legal wording in the municipal code.

Chapter VII, section 80.69 mentions that Parking Prohibited/Street Cleaning is a ticketable offense, but the City only holds the power to ticket if it claims that any vehicle parking would detrimentally affect the public welfare — all definitions of what that means, in regard to street sweeping or otherwise, are left open to interpretation.

Posted routes are done once a week, said John Sapone, manager of the Citys Street Maintenance Division.

In an investigation that took more than two months to complete, monitoring nine streets in Downtown Los Angeles, however, weekly seemed to be an overstatement.

The results showed that the City simply isnt sweeping some streets — though cars along them are still slapped with $60 tickets.

THE INVESTIGATION

Using a digital video camera, nine streets were monitored on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between Sept. 2 and Oct. 30.

Of those, only two-thirds of the streets were swept weekly.

The investigation had a small sample size — when compared to the 7,000 miles of city streets assumedly swept weekly, according to Street Services Hugo Valencia — but clearly shows that the City isnt living up to its own standard.

After documenting that 23rd and 24th streets, west of Vermont Avenue, and 36th Place, also west of Vermont Avenue, were not swept, I looked for an explanation from a number of officials, including the ticketing officers themselves, the Street Maintenance division and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

Valencia provided two examples of charts that sweeper truck drivers use when on their routes, but that didnt explain why certain segments of the routes werent swept at all.

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[mdschrad]

Another update: For the second Thursday in a row, and as I mentioned on the KNBC Channel 4 News in one of the Video Responses, the City failed to sweep 24th Street altogether. The Thursday side of the street has not been swept in more than two weeks now. Please continue spreading the word, as the City Council looks into this further.

[mdschrad]

Just a followup for everyone: On the first Thursday since this video aired, the City failed to sweep 24th Street ... again.

[petuniafrazier]

Great video! Mismanagement at its finest!

[lorenwhite]

I'd be happy to pay the ticket, if they would clean the street every tuesday, 12-2. However, if they only plan on cleaning once a month.. then change the signs to once a month 12-2.

[mistysworld6]

another reason to hate LA

[HollywoodHotel]

HA! BS and lies from city officials are not news. There should be a report on how the so-called street cleaners do nothing but move the dirt around, not clean. Where does this money go? The roads are full of holes and these otherwise unemployable morons who drive around in their little white chariots seem to think they own the streets. This city is disgusting.

[onizukajwb]

Wow. Just wow. These guys are slimy bottom feeder crooks that have zero integrity. When I lived downtown, I have personally witnessed parking enforcement officers parked in a loading zone and in front of a mail drop box while they were taking a break getting lunch at an outside cafe. This is outrageous, but doesn't surprise me when this city is absolutely one of the most politically corrupt in the U.S.

[ylen13]

Good for them giving those tickets. They should start towing any vehicle that gotten 2 ticket or more in a month. That will generate even more revenue.

[VoodooPolitico]

@KurtDaFlirt88 I just watched your vid. Paid the ticket didnt ya? Didnt have any choice did ya? Tried to contest it and didnt get anywhere didnt ya? There is NOTHING we can do about it. Ive tried to contest 2 tickets that were total bullshit. You cant talk directly to anyone. No judge. NOBODY. Just fill out the form and you'll hear from us. When you do hear from them, its telling you to pay the ticket anyways. Ive never met ANYBODY that has ever "won" a contested ticket.

[VoodooPolitico]

@neoxzero2 You just not live in LA. LA is filled with filthy immigrants who dont think twice about throwing their trash into the street. The streets are FILTHY. YES, they NEED to be cleaned at least once a week.

[VoodooPolitico]

If there was a serial killer, that was blowing the faces off of these slimey meter maids with a shotgun, I would buy that guy a slice of pie and agood cup of coffee. I would thank him for doing gods work. This city is FUCKED, the corrupt LADOT and its scumbag meter maids are stealing from the tax paying citizens. When it falls apart further, when it hits THAT point, people arent going to put up with it anymore.

[justcallmeassinine]

@KurtDaFlirt88 In most cities in SoCal it is done weekly.Its not necessary.It is waste and poses a big inconvenience for many. i have never seen the streets get trashy.But my city continues while cutting back on teachers.What a scam.

[KurtDaFlirt88]

I've been having trouble with Parking Enforcement corruption in Hollywood. PLEASE SEE MY VIDEO. I would appreciate help and advice from anyone.

[neoxzero2]

Street cleaning is a legalized scam. If you believe otherwise, you're an idiot. The streets should be cleaned twice a year, not twice a month. They use your fear of the law against you, and convince you there is a good reason to steal money from the poor.