FL City to Seize Homes Over $5 Parking Ticket

Brooksville, Florida proposes to foreclose homes and seize cars over less than $20 in parking tickets.

Insanity on the flip....

The city council in Brooksville, Florida voted this week to advance a proposal granting city officials the authority to place liens and foreclose on the homes of motorists accused of failing to pay a single $5 parking ticket. Non-homeowners face having their vehicles seized if accused of not paying three parking offenses.
source

The proposed ordinance goes like this:

1. Meter maid or policeman issues a parking ticket

2. Vehicle owner must pay ticket within 72 hours

3. After 72 hours, a late fee of 50% of the original fine is assessed

4. After 7 days from the ticket issue date, if ticket remains unpaid, the city will place a lien on the vehicle owner's home and/or other property for the amount of the ticket plus $15 administrative fee, late fees and attorney fees.

5. Ticket will accrue interest of 1% per month on charges in #4

6. If ticket remains unpaid for 90 days, the city will foreclose on liens [unclear whether the foreclosure rule only kicks in after an unsuccessful appeal or not]

7. If the vehicle owner/operator does not own property in the county, the city will seize the vehicle after 3 unpaid tickets

8. The only notice the vehicle owner will receive about potential liens and possible foreclosure is a lien document mailed to the vehicle owner after the 7 day period expires

As if all of this isn't bad enough already, there is only one way to contest the ticket, through appeal to a city employee. Within 7 days of receiving the ticket, file an appeal with the City Manager, pay a $250 upon filing said appeal, and wait until a "Hearing Officer" takes your case (within 60-90 days). The "Hearing Officer" is NOT a judge, but a lawyer contracted by the city. Yeah, that sounds impartial (no offense meant to lawyers and hearing officers in general).

Link to bill in pdf form

The fines for parking violations can be as little as $5 for parking overtime up to $250 for a second handicapped parking violation.