Sunset Heights residents report abandoned vehicles, no action taken

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Sunset Heights residents have grown accustom to an everyday eye store of abandoned vehicles sitting alongside homes. Some have called 311 to complain several times, but the City of El Paso hasn't taken action.

Leaving a vehicle abandoned is illegal under Texas State law and El Paso municipal codes as a Class C Misdemeanor. The Texas Transportation code said abandoning a vehicle on public or private property has a consequential fine of up to $500.

The transportation code defines an abandoned vehicle as one if:

• It's inoperable, more than five years old and has been left unattended for more than 48 hours.
• It stayed illegally on public property for more than 48 hours.
• It stayed on private property without the owner's consent for more than 48 hours.
• It stayed on the right-of-way of a designated county, state or federal highway for more than 48 hours.
• It stayed on the right-of-way of a turnpike project maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation or a controlled access highway for more than 24 hours.

As a result, law enforcement agencies can take abandoned vehicles into custody, the code said. They have to send a notice of abandonment to the last known registered owner. They also have to let the owner know they have the right to claim the vehicle within a certain time frame at the expense of towing or storage charges.

"I think the neighborhood is cognizant of the broken window theory and how run-down vehicles and dilapidated houses have a negative impact on a community," said Matthew Guzman, who leads the Friends of Sunset Heights Neighborhood Association.

ABC-7 reached out to the City of El Paso for comment.