Community Chat

[PickyPicky3]

I have lived in my townhouse community for eight years. We don't have driveways -- we have assigned parking spots which are perpendicular to the sidewalk. There's no grass between the sidewalk and the curb.

The parking spots don't line up perfectly, so the spot directly in front of my door (about 15 feet away) belongs to a neighbor who lives in a different line of houses around the corner.

Everything has been fine for seven years. This winter my neighbor had to give up driving because of a progressive neurological illness and sold his car, leaving his spot empty.

Little by little people started using his spot. Delivery cars, repairmen, visitors to other neighbors, etc. Someone drops off a friend at 2:00 am with the stereo booming. The delivery cars always leave the motor running and the stereo on. This summer the daughter of another neighbor used the spot repeatedly to clean out her car. Et Cetera, etc.

When you live sharing walls, your sense of private space is very important. Now I never know what to expect when I walk out my door.

I would not burden my neighbor with this issue unless I had some brilliant solution. There is nothing he can do given his mobility problem and distance from the space. He has visitors occasionally and they find another place to park if someone is using the spot.

Our HOA is "minimalist." I will not become the parking police, even if my neighbor would give me permission.

The best solution would be some treatment for my neighbor which could restore his mobility. 

I recognize that this is a small problem, but it has changed my quality of life here and no one else in this community is living like this. 

I hope I'm just not seeing the forest for the trees and there is some solution. 

[KathyM23]

Perhaps with your neighbors permission, you could use that parking space leaving your space empty for any visitors he might have and for repair and delivery people.  This should not inconvenience his visitors since the space isn't in front of his apartment anyway.

[Ainhisg]

Do you drive? Could you explain the situation to him and ask him if you could use the space to park? If so, not only would that solve the problem, but your vehicle would be right in front of your townhome increasing convenience and safety for you.

[kindred cats]

Perhaps a sign that says, "Private Parking Space"  "For Tenant Only" 

[Etoile308]

Who is responsible for assigning the parking spots? Could you request your spot be traded and reassigned to the closer spot not currently being used by your neighbor?

[PickyPicky3]

My parking space is right next to his -- in front of my windows. A good suggestion but it would still leave the in-and-out in front of my house.

[PickyPicky3]

The sign would probably help but would also alienate the neighbors whose visitors like to use the spot. 

The line of houses around the corner faces a landscaped lawn and has no parking there. So the visitors of the five houses there love to park in front of my house -- the closest open spot. There are 7 guest spots scattered around which no one ever uses.

[phoenixbrd]

I can understand why this situation would be bothersome to you.  Unfortunately the "best solution" might not happen.   Talk to management...it is an appropriate concern.  You have a right to state what is happening and it is management's responsibility to address it. They can choose to let other tenants know that this parking space still has an owner and a ticket will be issued if someone parks there.  Let management handle it.   I wish you the best.

[Ainhisg]

@PickyPicky3 well, darn...we thought we had it figured out for you. I would hate to have that constant in and out traffic at all hours plus the noise. Would there be a neighbor that  the spot would be a better parking place for them? Maybe they could approach the owner of the spot to see if they could park there?

[PickyPicky3]

@Ainhisg   I have been thinking about your idea for some time. One of the people in the line around the corner has a long walk on a sidewalk to get to his car. The spot here would be closer but he would have to walk over the lawn. Not good if there's snow.

BUT his spot is in front of a guy's house who is NEVER at home. The perfect spot for the in-and-out.