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ktla-covina-car-hoarder
COVINA -- Authorities in Covina Saturday started to tow some of the 48 cars one man has parked around his neighborhood, apparently in response to complaints from other residents.
Neighbors identified the man as Mark Shoff. They say he lives in a house at Aspan Avenue and Lark Ellen Avenue with his 81-year-old mother.
There were five cars parked in the driveway when KTLA visited the neighborhood on Monday. And there are plenty more spread around the area.
The vehicles include a black Dodge Dart with a busted side window on Cypress Street, with glass shards scattered on the asphalt.
On Aspan Avenue, three old cars sit in a row, veiled by car covers.
According to DMV records, Shoff has 48 cars in all. Some KTLA found with expired license plates.
Neighbors identified the man as Mark Shoff. They say he lives in a house at Aspan Avenue and Lark Ellen Avenue with his 81-year-old mother.
There were five cars parked in the driveway when KTLA visited the neighborhood on Monday. And there are plenty more spread around the area.
The vehicles include a black Dodge Dart with a busted side window on Cypress Street, with glass shards scattered on the asphalt.
On Aspan Avenue, three old cars sit in a row, veiled by car covers.
According to DMV records, Shoff has 48 cars in all. Some KTLA found with expired license plates.
"He's got cars parked over there on the streets, at liquor stores... supermarkets... He parks them everywhere, said Samantha Martinez, who lives across the street. "And he stays out her just washing them all day."
Neighbors say they're frustrated. They call the cars an eyesore, and have filed a petition to try to stop him.
Caroline Bermude told KTLA she writes Shoff notes pleading with him to stop blocking parking.
"I watch him go to the car and tear the note up and leave it," Bermude said.
"Yes, we are all annoyed," neighbor Lupia Acero added. "Everyone."
According to L.A. County, it's not against the law to own 48 vehicles, but for Shoff, it must seem like a full-time job keeping up with when and where to move the cars.
Some neighbors say he has to push many of them because they don't work.
"They aren't even nice," Bermude said. "They are junkie. He has a limo too. They make our neighborhood look cheap."
On November 3rd, the officials with the city red-tagged 22 of Shoff's cars, leaving him notices that the vehicles had to be moved every 72 hours.
A task force returned to check his compliance, and saw that many had not been moved.
On Saturday morning, officials visited the area once again, and determined that 10 cars had not been moved at all. Two of the ten also had flat tires.
They declared the cars abandoned vehicles and had them towed.
