Hoboken's Aggressive Policy on Illegally Parked Cars Gets the Boot

Hoboken has modified its controversial policy to immediately boot illegally parked cars.

The city will now give motorists 72 hours to move their vehicles before getting booted or towed.

"Victory for anyone living in—or visiting—Hoboken, for bipartisanship, and for common human decency," Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said in a statement released Tuesday.

"No longer will anyone return to what they thought was a legally parked car in the middle of the night only to find a heavy iron boot immobilizing it. We heard from senior citizens and pregnant women as well as inconvenienced business people— all who fell victim to the draconian policy. Apparently our shining a light on this example of the exploitation of motorists was heard by the folks running Hoboken.  I could dwell on the fact that our intervention shouldn't have been necessary, but instead I'll just applaud them for finally getting it right."

O'Scanlon, Assemblyman Carmelo Garcia, a longtime Hoboken resident, and Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll have sponsored a bill to prevent municipalities from booting vehicles unless the owner has an outstanding warrant.

“Hoboken ’s policy was terrible,” Garcia said. "It was plainly unfair to boot a vehicle with no notice. Drivers would be left stranded, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Now the city will give motorists a ticket and 72 hours to move their vehicle before immobilization or towing is an option. Further, the policy was bad for business in the town."