Recently, a Hoboken man's father came into town to take his son to dinner. He accidentally parked in one of the new "Resident Parking Only" areas. By the time dinner was over, there was a boot on the father's car - and he couldn't get it off until the next morning, when the Parking Utility (formerly the Parking Authority) opened again.

The police couldn't help him. They don't have a key to the boots. Thus, he was trapped in town.

"I was really upset about it," said the man's son, who wished that his name not be used, last week. "As far as I'm concerned, illegal seizure [of your property] is unconstitutional."

If the car had been towed like they are for certain other violations, he noted, his father could have gotten the car back by going to the tow yard and paying.

The boots are part of new parking regulations implemented last year in order to theoretically free up more parking for residents. One side of most streets in town was designated for residents only.

Only the Hoboken Parking Utility can unboot the cars - but they close at 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and don't reopen until 8 a.m.

Councilman Christopher Campos said Thursday that he has received "numerous" e-mails and phone calls from visitors and Hoboken residents complaining about the city's policy of not unlocking the boots after hours.

Sources said that in separate incidents, a woman visiting from Pennsylvania and a man visiting from the Jersey Shore spent the night in their cars when they found the boot.

The man whose father was trapped in town said his father has visited Hoboken for 30 years, and the signs "are changing all the time."

"You can't just take somebody's car and illegally hold it," he said.
He added, "God forbid if there was an emergency, the police couldn't even help you. They don't even have key to this boot. If [the Parking Utility] wants to close, then give the Police Department a key to these boots."

At last week's City Council meeting, Campos, who sits on the Transportation Sub-Committee, responded to such complaints by questioning Joanne Serrano, the acting executive director of the Hoboken Parking Utility, about current policy. (Last year, the city disbanded the formerly-independent Parking Authority and made it a city department or "utility.")

"How bad is it going to look when we have an entire family here from Osh Gosh, Wisconsin, or some other far off place sleeping in their cars?" Campos asked. "We need to have policy that allows for these boots to be removed at all hours."
"I agree," said Serrano. She said there has been internal talk about allowing either the Police Department or the tow yard have a key and release forms.

She added, as per Campos' request, that she will now expedite the process of changing the policy, but did not give a timeline when changes might be implemented.
Campos said that in addition to residents' and tourists' complaints, he has had several police officers approach him to complain.

The officers told him that almost on a nightly basis, confused and angry people have come to the police station wanting to get the boot off their car.

They're also worried that in an emergency situation like a broken water main or fire on the street, police wouldn't be able to move the booted cars.

What to do if you get the boot

Booted cars are often towed after 48 hours. If the car is towed, additional towing and storage charges will apply.

People whose cars are booted must go to the Hoboken Parking Utility's office in City Hall at First and Washington streets to pay the booting fee and get a release.

According to the Parking Utility, the office is open 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. According to the Parking Utility officials, the Utility does not boots on weekends, but they do have the legal power to do so.

Call (201) 653-1919 for more information about booting or having a boot removed.