AB2210, booting in California

We've had a terrible time with tow companies, taking several hours to show up, or not showing up at all, or resident hearing the motor and moving car before the tow is completed. . only to have the whole scenario repeat all over again the next night. (My husband volunteers for parking enforcement which means he has to sit in his car all night, hoping for the tow. . .having to get up the next morning at 6:00 for work.)

We purchased a boot, informed the residents, and posted signs. The new law AB2210 now prohibits use an "immobiization device" by anyone other than a police officer or "traffic enforcement officer"

Does this include hiring someone from a "security company" to boot for us? The law also requires that we give notice of the towing a day before we actually tow (unless in a fire lane.)

The boot was like a miracle. Show up, take the picture, log it, place a large sticker on the window with contact number. 10 minutes to boot, 10 minutes to come back and collect the $50 fine.

So my question is: How do other HOA's enforce parking now that someone has to be there the whole time waiting for the tow (we are only 12 units there is no on-site manager)?

Anyone have any experience with finding someone authorized to boot under the new law?

Thanks in advance - I always get some great info here.

Dawn

Read this:
http://davis-stirling.com/newsletters/2007/22_boot.htm
A security firm is not allowed to boot
Jane

Yes, it does seem odd that we'd have parking problems with only 12 units.

There are several factors that create the problem:

1. Due to the location, there is no street parking. Our complex is at the bottom of a narrow winding hill with no sidewalks or street parking for a half mile.
2. Every unit has two spaces (including garages) There are 3 visitor spaces.
3. Condos are 3 bedroom and serve a unique niche in a town where the mediam home price is close to a million dollars. Thus, in more than one unit, more than one family is living per unit just to make ends meet (most of the buyers paid close to $700,000 for their condo).
4. Most of the residents actually do follow the rules. It is 3 -4 people who routinely park in fire lanes and use the visitor spaces for their own personal use (not permitted).
5. The "rule following" owners have become frustrated because without street parking, the only parking for service personnel or visitors is being improperly used by owners. (One guy buys and sells used cars, so we can never prove that the car in the visitor space is his!)
6. Our use of the boot, while frustrating for the person being booted, has not posed a problem because towing fees are much more than the boot fee.
7. As for people's feelings. . .Blatant violators are mad no matter what we do, so I'm not concerned about their feelings at this point. We have been as pleasant and kind as we can be, but we had to act more aggressively after a fire truck could not get access to a burning building because of all the improperly parked cars.

I understand from one of the previous posts that private security are not allowed to boot, so raising our booting fees is a moot point.

I think we're left with attempting to enforce the parking via parking permits/guest placards and towing.

Don't even want to think of the administrative hassle with permits. . .for the 3 burned out HOA board members we have left. . .Any suggestions?

Thanks again,

Dawn