Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 14.47 Parking Ticket Payment Plan

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "Parking Ticket Payment Plan."

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

The City seeks to create a formal process known as the "Parking Ticket Payment Plan" that establishes an equitable payment process for individuals who are issued parking tickets within the City. Individuals who are issued parking tickets shall have the opportunity to participate in a Parking Ticket Payment Plan prior to the City taking any action to withhold their vehicle registration through the Department of Motor Vehicles ("DMV"). Establishing such a process will decrease costs associated with collections and will prevent motorists from driving without a valid vehicle registration.

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

The notice of parking violation shall include details regarding the parking ticket payment plan including the timeframe in which to apply and the person's right to request an indigency determination.

The City's website shall include the following:

(1) The availability of an installment payment plan, and the timeframe in which to apply.

(2) The person's right to request an eligibility determination and the timeframe in which he or she must apply.

(3) Details regarding how the person can request an eligibility determination and what the determination will entail.

(4) Documents needed by the parking ticket processing agency to make an eligibility determination

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

A person may qualify for a payment plan if one of the following conditions is met:

(a) A person meets the low income criteria based on the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) low income guidelines that is amended annually. Subject to the review and approval of the City, written proof of income includes two consecutive pay stubs that demonstrate that the individual constitutes low income as defined by HUD's low income guidelines.

(b) A person who provides written proof that he or she is receiving public benefits under one or more of the following programs as outlined in subdivision (a) of Section 68632 of the Government Code, as amended:

(1) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and State Supplementary Payment (SSP) (Article 5 (commencing with Section 12200) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(2) California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Act (CalWORKs) (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code) or a federal Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF) grant program (Section 10553.25 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(3) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Chapter 51 (commencing with Section 2011) of Title 7 of the United States Code) or the California Food Assistance Program (Chapter 10.1 (commencing with Section 18930) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(4) County Relief, General Relief (GR), or General Assistance (GA) (Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000) of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(5) Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants (CAPI) (Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 18937) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(6) In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) (Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(7) Medi-Cal (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code).

(c) Subject to the review and approval of the City, written proof of public benefits as outlined in subsection (b) above includes an electronic benefits transfer card or other written proof of receipt of public benefits.

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

(a) Applications for indigency determinations can be made for a period of 60 calendar days from the date of issuance of the notice of parking violation, or 10 days after the administrative hearing determination, whichever is later.

(b) The processing fee to participate in the payment plan shall be five ($5) dollars or less for indigent individuals and twenty-five ($25) dollars or less for all other individuals. The processing fee for an indigent individual may be added to the payment plan amount, at the discretion of the indigent owner.

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

(a) No parking penalties and service fees shall be filed with the DMV while an individual is complying with the terms of the payment plan. If an individual who has a DMV hold on registration becomes eligible and enrolls in the payment plan, the City will contact the DMV to remove the registration hold.

(b) Late fees and penalties for a parking citation shall be suspended while the individual is complying with the plan's terms. All late fees shall be waived once the payments made pursuant to the payment plan are complete.

(c) Payment of unpaid parking fines may be paid off in installments of no more than twenty-five dollars ($25) per month for total amounts due that are three hundred ($300) dollars or less. Unpaid parking fines and fees shall be paid off within 18 months. There shall be no prepayment penalty for paying off the balance prior to the payment period expiring.

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

All late fees and penalty assessments, exclusive of any state surcharges outlined in Sections 70372, 76000 and 76000.3 of the California Government Code, as amended, shall be suspended if an eligible individual (as defined in Section 14.47.040 above) enrolls in the payment plan. Suspension of late fees and penalties may be reinstated if the individual falls out of compliance with the payment plan. If an individual violates the payment plan by failing to pay the full monthly installment, the individual has up to 45 calendar days from the date the plan becomes delinquent to resume payments before the City will file an itemization of unpaid parking penalties and service fees with the DMV. If the individual resumes compliance, the fines and fees will be suspended again.

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)

The Police Chief, or his or her designee, shall promulgate written policies regarding the Payment Plan that will be reviewed on an annual basis, including determinations of eligibility for the payment plan.

(Ord. No. 25-18 N.S., § 1, 7-24-2018)