CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE SECTION 1988
Sale of Abandoned Property
(a) If the personal property described in the notice is not released pursuant to Section 1987, it
shall be sold at public sale by competitive bidding. However, if the landlord reasonably believes
that the total resale value of the property not released is less than three hundred dollars ($300),
the landlord may retain such property for his or her own use or dispose of it in any manner.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the landlord or tenant from bidding on the
property at the public sale.
(b) Notice of the time and place of the public sale shall be given by publication pursuant to
Section 6066 of the Government Code in a newspaper of general circulation published in the
county where the sale is to be held. The last publication shall be not less than five days before the
sale is to be held. The notice of the sale shall not be published before the last of the dates specified
for taking possession of the property in any notice given pursuant to Section 1983. The notice of
the sale shall describe the property to be sold in a manner reasonably adequate to permit the
owner of the property to identify it. The notice may describe all or a portion of the property, but
the limitation of liability provided by Section 1989 does not protect the landlord from any liability
arising from the disposition of property not described in the notice, except that a trunk, valise,
box, or other container which is locked, fastened, or tied in a manner which deters immediate
access to its contents may be described as such without describing its contents.
(c) After deduction of the costs of storage, advertising, and sale, any balance of the proceeds of
the sale which is not claimed by the former tenant or an owner other than such tenant shall be paid
into the treasury of the county in which the sale took place not later than 30 days after the date of
sale. The former tenant or other owner may claim the balance within one year from the date of
payment to the county by making application to the county treasurer or other official designated
by the county. If the county pays the balance or any part thereof to a claimant, neither the county
nor any officer or employee thereof is liable to any other claimant as to the amount paid.