Lehigh Valley
Allentown City Council takes step to protect drivers from ‘predatory towing just in time for election season
The Allentown City Council voted on Wednesday on an ordinance to protect citizens wallets just in time for the election season.
The bill creates a uniform framework to establish and enforce towing procedures and standards for private property owners and tow truck owners and operators who tow from private property.
Councilmember Santo Napoli said he was recently contacted by several residents who had thought their cars were towed by the Allentown Parking Authority, but they had actually been towed by private towers.
“The manner in which those there were towed, it definitely caught my interest,” Napoli said. “Folks getting their cars towed from private property found the only way to get cars released was to pay $400 and $500, and even up to $600 cash only, and that’s something that is unacceptable.”
Napoli explained decoupling allows an owner to pay a reasonable fee to the towing operator if they the vehicle owner discovers that their car is being prepared to be towed away.
Chief of Police Charles Roca said there has been an ongoing problem of residents being taken advantage of by predatory towing.
“And it’s going to be a stern warning to those towers out there who are going to try to do something and not do it the legal way,” Hendricks said. “There will be ramifications for them.”
The new regulations are only for private parking prohibitions. They do not relate to parking on city streets, which is governed by the Allentown Parking Authority.
