New state money for hauling off abandoned RVs starts January 1

There is a type of call I get every few weeks. Somebody owns a lot, a rental, or a few acres, and there is an RV or fifth wheel parked on it that nobody has touched in years. Flat tires, broken window, full of somebody else’s belongings.

The owner did not put it there. They still have to deal with it. That is the part that stings, whether the property sits in Hollister, out past Gilroy, or down toward Salinas and the rest of Monterey County.

So here is the news worth knowing: a new state law takes effect January 1, 2027 that puts money behind this exact problem. Below I break down what it actually does, who it helps, and what still lands on your bill.

What the AB 1153 abandoned RV removal california law actually does

Governor Newsom signed AB 1153, authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta, on September 14, 2026. You can read the signing announcement from the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.

The bill adds Public Resources Code section 48503. In plain terms, it authorizes CalRecycle, upon legislative appropriation, to develop regulations and spend money through grants that:

• Help local jurisdictions remove and dispose of abandoned recreational vehicles
• Fund illegal dumping enforcement officers
• Support existing local enforcement teams already working dumping cases

The effective date is January 1, 2027.

Now the fine print I would want a neighbor to catch. The phrase “upon legislative appropriation” is doing a lot of work. The law creates the authority to run a grant program. It does not hand anybody a check on January 1.

Money has to be budgeted first, then CalRecycle has to write regulations, then local agencies have to apply. That takes time. So treat this as a door opening, not a bill getting paid next month.

Who this helps, and who still writes the check

This is the question I get asked first, so I will answer it straight. The grant money goes to local agencies, not directly to property owners.

That means cities and counties are the ones who would apply for and spend the funds. If San Benito County, the City of Gilroy, or a Monterey County agency builds a program using this money, a property owner might then have a program to lean on instead of covering the full removal cost alone.

Who stands to benefit most as those programs come together:

• Property managers and landlords stuck with a tenant-abandoned trailer on a rental parcel
• Landowners with a derelict RV dumped on a rural lot or back acreage
• Contractors and developers clearing a site before work starts
• Families handling an estate where an old motorhome has been sitting since the 1990s

There is a second half to this that gets less attention. The same bill funds illegal dumping enforcement officers and local enforcement teams. More funded enforcement means more attention on dumping sites and abandoned vehicles.

If you have been putting off dealing with something on your property, that is worth weighing. We already saw this pattern with construction debris, where hauling concrete or drywall to the wrong spot got a lot more expensive.

Where the RV sits changes who you call first

Before you call anyone to haul it, figure out whose problem it officially is. This is general guidance, and your city or county should confirm the right path.

The AB 1153 timeline at a glance

Here is how the law moves from signature to actual funded programs on the ground.

What actually drives the cost of getting an RV off your property

Even if a local program eventually picks up part of the tab, somebody still has to do the physical work. Here is what I look at when I walk a property and price a job like this.

• Does it roll? Flat or rotted tires, seized brakes, and a sunken axle all change the equipment needed.
• Can I get to it? A trailer tucked behind a fence line with a tight turn takes longer than one sitting on an open gravel pad.
• What is inside? Most abandoned RVs are packed with belongings. That turns one job into two: a cleanout plus a transport.
• Size and weight. A 20-foot travel trailer and a 38-foot fifth wheel are not the same job.
• Disposal path. Where the unit and its contents end up affects the number, and tipping fees at places like the John Smith Road Landfill move over time.

One honest note on scope. Fuel, propane tanks, and waste tanks need proper handling, and we do not handle hazardous waste. Those pieces may need to be addressed separately before a unit can move.

I will not quote a flat price here because it would be a guess. Costs vary a lot by condition and access, and I would rather look at it and give you a real number. If you want a sense of how we think about pricing in general, we have written about what drives the number on a hauling job.

For the contents side, a dumpster on site is sometimes the cleaner path. Our dumpster rentals start at $500 for a two-day rental, and we have broken down how to choose between a dumpster and a full-service crew.

What I would do between now and January

You do not need to wait for a grant program to exist before you start building your case. A few simple steps now will save you headaches later.

• Photograph the unit from several angles, including tires, tongue, and any visible damage.
• Write down dates. When did it show up? When did the tenant leave? Who have you already called?
• Check with your city or county about current abandoned vehicle and dumping programs. San Benito County Integrated Waste Management and the City of Gilroy Building Division are reasonable starting points depending on where you sit.
• Get a removal estimate now so you know the real number before you decide to wait.

And if the RV is sitting on a property you are trying to list, rent, or build on, waiting on a program that may take a year to fund is probably the wrong call. The carrying cost of an empty unit usually beats the haul cost.

Been through this once already with a cluttered property? The same logic applies to what a full property cleanout actually looks like start to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions About AB 1153 and Abandoned RV Removal