LA Department of Transportation investigates misuse of disabled parking placards in Westwood

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation has recently been investigating reports of the illegal use of disabled parking placards in Westwood Village after receiving complaints from residents.

Most of the residents who filed the complaints live near sorority row on Hilgard Avenue, and are asking the university to check the validity of the placards, said UCLA spokesman Steve Ritea.

Many have been upset by the lack of parking spots, claiming that students are abusing disabled parking placards, he said. Some residents have begun to videotape people parking with disabled placards, posting the videos online and sending them to the university.

The only way to park in a permit-only zone without a permit is with a disabled parking placard, which can be obtained through the approval of a licensed medical practitioner. Residents are claiming students who are not handicapped have been using these placards to park in these permit zones near the UCLA campus, Ritea said.

Paul Vardin, a Westwood resident who lives along Hilgard Avenue, said parking can get packed at times, and suspects the reason is that placards are being misused. He said parking is particularly affected when UCLA hosts events near Hilgard Avenue.

“(Parking enforcement) always comes through here, and if they don’t, we usually call them,” Vardin said.

The reports sparked a collaborative effort between UCLA and the LADOT to investigate matters, Ritea said.

University officials are also working with the department of transportation to conduct sweeps across campus to look for misuse of disabled placards, he said.

Over the last four years, the number of on-campus violations has remained fairly consistent, averaging 99 violations per year, said Devron Carter, UCLA management coordinator for UCLA Transportation.

There have been 62 placard-related citations since last July, Ritea said.

In congested urban areas, such as Westwood, instances of placard misuse are not uncommon, said Bill Gillman, a spokesman for the LADOT.

“Wherever there’s a lot of cars, there’s going to be a lot of placards,” Gillman said. “This situation is not unusual.”

Steve Sann, chair of the Westwood Community Council, said placard misuse is a problem that also affects the Westwood business community, including business owners, workers and customers, by reducing parking space in the Village. He said this is a long-standing issue that involves not only students, but also employees, faculty and patrons.

During sting operations, police officers or parking enforcement typically wait for drivers to leave or enter their cars. Drivers are then approached by officials and are asked to show proof of validation for their placards, Gillman said. If validation cannot be proved, drivers may receive up to two citations, depending on whether a police officer is present or not, Gillman said.

Citations can range from $250 to $1,000, he said.

Placards not used by their rightful owners are confiscated and reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles, Ritea said.

At least one car has been towed in the Hilgard Avenue area because of misuse since the recent spurt of enforcement in the area, he said.