California Code, Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 217

(a) The board of supervisors of any county or the governing body of any city may by ordinance provide that any personal property with a value of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) in the possession of the sheriff of the county or in the possession of the police department of the city which have been unclaimed for a period of at least 90 days may, instead of being sold at public auction to the highest bidder pursuant to the provisions of Section 2080.5 of the Civil Code, be turned over to the probation officer, to the welfare department of the county, or to any charitable or nonprofit organization which is authorized under its articles of incorporation to participate in a program or activity designed to prevent juvenile delinquency and which is exempt from income taxation under federal or state law, or both, for use in any program or activity designed to prevent juvenile delinquency.

(b) Before any property subject to this section is turned over to the probation officer, to the welfare department of the county, or to any charitable or nonprofit organization, the police department or sheriff's department shall notify the owner, if his or her identity is known or can be reasonably ascertained, that it possesses the property, and where the property may be claimed.  The owner may be notified by mail, telephone, or by means of a notice published in a newspaper of general circulation which it determines is most likely to give notice to the owner of the property.