Plain-language guides for people who were towed, and the audits, reports and court rulings behind them. Each summary is ours; follow the link to read the original.
Newest first. Government reports are public records; the others belong to their authors, so we link to them and do not post copies.
Using SDPD records, reports that nearly 30% of 2025 impounds were for registration problems, including 6,533 for registration expired over six months, and describes the Council policy proposal then pending.
Why it matters: The most recent count of registration tows before the 2026 policy change.
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Tracks the 2022 towing recommendations. It says SDPD's 2024 report had statistical errors and left out costs such as lien-sale losses, so the City's subsidy is likely higher than SDPD reported, and records the November 2025 committee vote on Council Policy 500-03.
Why it matters: Shows what changed, and what did not, after the audit.
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An analysis of City tow data: from January 2017 through November 2022 SDPD ordered more than 115,000 tows, about 37% for expired registration, 72-hour violations or unpaid tickets, and the share stayed about the same in the months after the audit.
Why it matters: Independent data on whether tow practices changed after the audit.
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Defines 'disproportionate impact tows' (registration over six months expired, 72-hour parking, five or more unpaid tickets) and shows they are 3 to 5 times more likely to end in a lien sale. Tows fell 39% from FY2017 to FY2021, the program runs about $1.5 million short a year, and the Council postponed fee increases in early 2022.
Why it matters: The most detailed public look at who loses their car after a San Diego police tow.
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