This hasn't happened to me personally, but I would definitely advocate for change. I think it's totally unfair how many cars are being towed for street sweeping, and they're really just ripping people off.

I think policy should be proposed and implemented at the City (either within the department responsible for street sweeping or as city ordinance) that street sweeping only take place on the same dates (i.e. "Second Wednesday" or "Third Thursday") each month. That way, there wouldn't be any surprises like this and we wouldn't have to guess what the schedule is.

Many cities have permanent signs to mark street sweeping. I realize that the city might balk at the cost of installing this, so I think having a consistent schedule is a good compromise.

Clearly manually posting signs on arbitrary dates is not working.

I had this happen to me several weeks back, under similar circumstances. I'd gladly participate in an en masse complaint.

it's ridiculous to post signs without any regularity.
how people can be prepared for it?
there is not even an announcement on the website this month

There are permenant signs in every other neighborhood, and guess what! Street sweeping actually happens on the days the signs designate. Residents know what to expect and can prepare. No one has ever gotten towed in my neighborhood because of street sweeping. Crazy I know.

I'm not sure why East Rock is special. Not only do you guys not have a fixed street sweeping schedule, but public works gives you no warning. The street sweeping website clearly says that signs will be posted 24 hrs in advance. Its like the city is giving taxpayers the finger. Whats up with that? I would be @#$% if I lived there.

Is it really true East Rock is the only neighborhood without signs? I can't say I've noticed signs in every other part of New Haven, so this would be surprising to me.

I misspoke. According to the city's website, http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/PublicWorks/sweep/index.asp there are 15 street sweeping zones, 8 of which have no permenant signs, and 7 of those have unlisted schedules. East rock, which is zone 4, is the only non-posted sweeping schedule zone to actually have a listed schedule: side 1, second Friday, and side 2 third Friday of each month. So maybe Public Works doesn't feel they have to warn you folks with cardboard signs? I don't know.

The high turnover rate in regards to thestudent popultion in this area,means the wronged and slighted won't be around come next election time,that's how the City thinks. The contributing Real Estate folks all own driveways and garages,those are the ones politically connected ,they sell the community down the river,the area is more like Pinata Ville. . I mean hundreds and hundreds of illegal tows and not much from your alders in the form of help or a statement..i've watched people pull up in cars,lock a cheap bike to a street sweeping sign , leave it until crooks remove the sign for the bike,traffic & parking then pulls up,throws sign in back,never to be seen again

We used to have permanent signs in East Rock - they were removed in the summer of 2008 when the city decided it would be more profitable for them to be able to adjust the sweeping schedule on the fly by using the paper signs - see http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/street_sweeping_change_is_debated_in_east_rock/

The city's policy on this just seems plain wrong. Bad for citizens, bad for trees with no upside.

I agree this should be fixed.

Looks like this was reported on by WTNH:

http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/new_haven_cty/opposing-signs-leads-to-parking-confusion

I agree the system needs to change, I pay for parking in a garage ever since my car got swept up by New Haven's inability to post proper signs for street sweeping.

The system is working perfectly, as designed. The towing policy is in place to enrich the towing companies, so the policy is successful. Welcome to New Haven...

In the past year advance notice has improved. Let's close this.