I’m the last 12 months at my home in a historically low-income neighborhood, I’ve done a clutch job (clutch, flywheel, throw-out bearing, rear main seal), coolant tank and hose swap, radiator fan swap, popping out minor dents, touch up paint work, oil and filter change, spark plug change, cabin and intake filter swap, and probably some other stuff. Never once had code enforcement or Sac PD come knocking.
Granted, I have a lot of privilege that not everyone has: I am white, fairly well-off, I can do work in the privacy of my fenced-off backyard or 1-1/2 car garage, I know many of the people who work in city inspections and code enforcement (who I have asked about the law specifically and everyone says it’s only been enforced by these departments during hoarding situations, unsure about SacPD).
My partner (who restores classic European cars with her dad) and I often help our neighbors by loaning tools, provide an extra hand, and on two occasions, offered our backyard to do the repair, with the condition it is done within a few days. I’m not worried about being caught personally because it’s such a low priority “crime” that won’t be investigated for days if at all and would require someone to actively report it.
I do think it’s important to share one’s privilege which is one of the reasons why my partner and I are very keen on helping our especially low-income neighbors. These people often have a job they must be present at and cannot afford a costly repair or a new vehicle, penalizing them for trying to maintain their own property is an egregious and unnecessary overreach that actively perpetuates “illegal to be poor” we so desperately need to move beyond.