Parking War (Tampa: real estate, apartment, foreclosure)

[Lniemczyk]

I moved from 1 unit to another in the same complex. Each building is designed different. Each has their own driveway. I am handicapped. My neighbor has claimed the driveway in front of my door as hers. This particular driveway serves 3 units. It's wide enough for 2 cars. My neighbor, when she parks on my side takes up the entire driveway parking in the middle so I can't park behind her. She has even blocked me once when I parked all the way up the driveway. She claimed she wants total access to driveway 24/7 using working odd hours as her excuse. The driveway can accommodate 2 cars parked behind each other but the other side of the driveway is used by unit #1which is a large family and they park behind each other. Neighbor lives in #2 which is attached to #1.
My apartment is a stand alone building, #3 to the right of #1 and #2.
Can management allow 2 cars to park behind each other as assigned spaces?? We are strangers who don't get along due to the parking war. She would not answer the door when I knocked to ask her to move her car so I could park.
Management has promised me a handicapped sign but 2 months have passed and nothing. How long do they have to comply?
And what if this neighbor gets a handicapped placard?

[macrodome2]

If you're in an HOA, what do the documents say about parking? Ask the management to show you what the rules on with regard to parking. Are there assigned spaces? Are spaces marked, so your neighbor would clearly be taking more than one? If some of these are true and the rules state she can only park in one spot or she is parking in your spot, have the management issue a compliance letter to your neighbor stating that she is breaking the rules.

In an HOA if the management issues a compliance notice and the person does it again, they can then be fined by the Board. It is not clear from your post what difference a handicapped sign would make.

[Lniemczyk]

Not in HOA.
Handicapped sign would allow me to park in front of my door. I'm handicapped. Can't walk more than 10- 15 feet.

[dotbowels]

Call her she will have answers ASAP

Shannon Behnken is an award-winning reporter who specializes in real estate, property rights and consumer issues.

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[Dont Taze Me bro]

Sounds like a convoluted story and predicament, but this can be addressed by the apartment management. You say you're "handicapped"....well if that's the case, and you are documented with a legal parking permit (not just claiming a "handicap", then the management would have been told by YOU while moving into and living in the FIRST apartment before moving to the second. You have that responsibility to advise the management quickly. Have you proven you status to the parking management?? Most laws require that they must make reasonable "accommodation".


The problem isn't going to be solved by knocking on your lady neighbor's door, making a confrontation.


Have you READ the parking rules? do rules actually exist?? if your neighbor is not violating the stated rules by parking the way she does, there is little you can do.



Frankly I've never seen "vertically stacked" shared driveway parking (one behind the other...yes I've seen the common horizontal , but never parallel stacked vertically where one car essentially blocks the ingress and egress of the other).


Avoid confrontation...people are loose cannons these days.



If there are firmly assigned spaces, then you would not currently have this problem, right? If not, too bad, it's first come first served (notwithstanding a reserved space designated with State proscribed, correct vertical signage and painted
road/space with logo).

[MattMN]

Can management allow 2 cars to park behind each other as assigned spaces?
I would not think so. The question is, are any spots "assigned"? Is there anything in writing that guarantees every unit a driveway spot? Or are they truly first-come-first-served?

If management assigned your side of the driveway as 'handicapped' it will only help you if you actually have a handicapped tag or plate. I assume you must since you've requested this.

Long-term solution: You really need to clarify with your building management what the complex parking policy is. It does seem odd to have one 2-car-wide parking area for 3 units. It will be up to them to help you get a dedicated spot.

Unfortunately it sounds like your neighbor is not willing to work things out with you. To me, this means the short-term solution is, you will have to treat your side of the driveway with that first-come-first-served policy. If she is there, you have no alternative but to park somewhere else. If you get there first, you need to park in the middle of the driveway, like she does, so you do not become trapped with her behind you.