NEW ORLEANS – On Thursday, Dec. 29, the City of New Orleans Department of Public Works will hold its fifth abandoned vehicle auction of 2016. The auction, located at Almonaster Auto Pound (10200 Almonaster Ave.), will begin at 9:00 a.m. Vehicle preview day and buyer registration is Wednesday, Dec. 28, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. No one will be admitted after 3:30 p.m. for security reasons.
Since May 2010, the City of New Orleans has held 31 vehicle auctions, selling 3,055 abandoned cars and contributing over $2,060,198 to the City’s General Fund.
As in prior auctions, the buyer will pay a $50 administrative fee, which gets the buyer a notarized title at time of payment. Buyers no longer have to take all of the documentation to the Division of Motor Vehicles to apply for a new title. This process has proven that it saves the citizens time and streamlines their purchase.
The current auction will have 62 vehicles for sale, all of which have been discarded on neighborhood streets or left unclaimed by residents with excessive parking fines and fees.
Abandoned vehicles take up parking spaces needed for traffic circulation, contribute to a sense of neglect in neighborhoods and can become junked harborages for rodents, City reps said. To combat this quality of life nuisance, the City of New Orleans Department of Public Works has towed 13,263 vehicles in 2016 through Dec. 11.
Introduced in March 2009, the City will continue using its online bidding feature. Residents interested in online bidding need to register with Proxibid prior to the auction start time by visiting www.brownsauction.com. The online bidding feature allows residents to preview and pre-bid on any vehicle prior to the live auction, get vehicle information online by entering the vehicle information number (VIN), and bid on vehicles from anywhere in the world as the auction proceeds live from the Almonaster Auto Pound.
All prospective buyers must register before viewing. A refundable $50 fee is required to view and/or bid on any vehicle during the auction. The fee will be applied to any purchase made or refunded if no purchase is made.
Brown's Auction Company from Lafayette is the State of Louisiana’s licensed, authorized dealer and conducts auctions on all City of New Orleans equipment.
Individuals interested in purchasing a car are encouraged to pre-register and to arrive early on Thursday as many cars sell within the first few minutes of the auction.
Quick Facts
All vehicle information is currently on Brown's Auction website, www.brownsauction.com. Per the terms of the contract, the available vehicle list includes the VIN, make, model, and lien holder information. Any auction-related questions should be directed to Brown's Auction Company at (337) 457-4919.
Prior to the auction, attempts are made to contact the vehicle's owner or lien holder before the vehicles are added to the auction list. Vehicle owners or lien holders that pay all fines and fees are able to retrieve their vehicles prior to the auction, City reps said.
Purchasing a vehicle
• Cash or cashier's check is required.
• Payment must be received on the day of the auction. If payment is not received, the purchased vehicle will be placed on the list for the next scheduled auction, the buyer's $50 deposit is forfeited and the bidder is barred from participation in future auctions.
• A $50 administrative fee will be added for each purchased vehicle which gives the buyer a notarized title to that vehicle.
• City employees and relatives of City employees are forbidden from purchasing any vehicles at the auction.
