A small city with a strict new rule
Hometown is tiny, less than half a square mile, and its housing is unusual for the suburbs. It started as postwar duplexes built for returning GIs, and today about three-quarters of its homes are single-unit attached houses. Driveways and garages are close together, so a dead car is hard to miss.
In May 2025 the city tightened its rules. Now no property in Hometown, your own driveway included, may be used to park, keep or store a car that doesn’t run. A car under a tarp or without a current city sticker that hasn’t moved in 14 days is presumed inoperable.
When the car dies on the street
Street parking is tighter still. Every Hometown street is a snow route, so 2 inches of snow means parked cars can be towed without notice. Overnight, from 2 to 6 a.m., a car can’t sit on a city street for more than 30 minutes without a police permit. A disabled vehicle gets a short grace period, up to 24 hours, and only if police are told.
That leaves very little time. If your car stalled out on Keeler or near the shopping center, call the police about the overnight rule first and then call us. We tow for free, and same-day pickup is often possible. Our guide to selling a car that doesn’t run covers what to tell a buyer about a stalled car, and what happens if the keys are missing.
How the notice process works
If police tag an inoperable car on private property, Hometown uses a two-part notice: a “Notice of Intent to Tow” window sticker plus a certified letter. The owner then has 7 days from the letter to request a hearing. The code allows up to 30 extra days if the car is being held for sale or quick repair, which gives you breathing room to sell it.
Papers, payment and nearby towns
You’re paid when the car leaves. If you hold the title, keep it with your ID. If not, tell us what you can produce, perhaps a registration card or an old bill of sale; Illinois rules decide which of those are acceptable for scrapping, and we’ll check that with you by phone.
Hometown borders Chicago along 87th Street. We also serve Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park and Burbank, along with the other suburbs on our locations page.
Selling a car in Hometown: common questions
My car broke down on a Hometown street. How long can it stay there?
Briefly. The overnight rule allows a disabled vehicle to stay only temporarily, up to 24 hours, and only after you notify police. Every street is also a snow route, so after 2 inches of snow it can be towed without notice. Call us early; same-day pickup is often possible.
What happens if Hometown police tag my inoperable car?
Police put a 'Notice of Intent to Tow' on the car's window and mail a certified letter. From the date of that letter you get 7 days to ask for a hearing, and an extension of up to 30 days is possible if the car is being sold or repaired quickly. Selling it ends the process.