[rusty78]

I loved that photo...one of the many reasons I am buying in an HOA community....

[Rabflmom]

Another contributing factor is that in many/most towns in Florida the streets are narrow compared to many towns up North. If you park on the pavement of a street in most areas of the town I live in, you are blocking a lane of traffic. In Illinois where I grew up we actually had parking on both sides of the street and room for 2 lanes of traffic to drive down the street in front of my house and other streets were at least wide enough for parking on 1 side of the street.

Curbs and sidewalks are mostly on main streets down here so most neighborhood streets only have the swale area and not a lot of sidewalks to deter cars from parking on the yards. Add to that most families of 4 now have 4 vehicles and maybe a boat, a camper etc. so they won't all fit in the drive or garage. Most towns have rules a bout parking behind the front of your house and many towns have that there must be cement under the vehicles parked off the drive. Code enforcement does check for tags and do send out notices, but mainly when they get complaints.

I think renters here seem to park on lawns more than owners because they have not spent the money to put in the grass and keep the lawn looking good.

BTW I used to live in an area with an HOA. People still parked on their lawns. Threats would be sent. They would stop for a while but then the cycle would repeat. Costs to take it further probably kept them from going further.

[jsun556]

I would rather have some neighbors park on their lawn than live under the constant tyranny of an HOA.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by FSUMike

It sure beats parking on the street, and if there's not enough room on the driveway, what are you gonna do?

Rent some storage.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by jsun556

I would rather have some neighbors park on their lawn than live under the constant tyranny of an HOA.

Not all HOA's are tyrants. Most are pretty easy going as long as you don't live like trash.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by mango23

Older homes say 50's usually have one drive for 1 or 2 cars parked front to back. Back than is was rare for people to have more then 1 or 2 cars. Nowadays people have several cars, children of driving age each have a car, there can be an RV maybe a boat and so on. Just a reality.

That's what Public Storage is for.

[jsun556]

Originally Posted by annerk

Not all HOA's are tyrants. Most are pretty easy going as long as you don't live like trash.

So they sit there and collect money for nothing? What a genius scam.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by jsun556

So they sit there and collect money for nothing? What a genius scam.

Nothing? My HOA provides recreational activities including a heated pool, tennis courts, golf, basketball, fitness center, an owners clubhouse which can be "rented" for free for any number of activities and parties, various adult and children's activities that range from an Easter Egg Hunt to July 4th picnic with burgers, dogs, etc. We are also gated and guarded which while not foolproof, definitely keeps out most of the riff-raff. We have almost no crime.

[night0wl]

So, in florida, many older neighborhoods do *NOT* have sidewalks, curbs, water/utility mains, and "shoulder" for the street. Technically, the first 13 feet of the yard is owned by the city, in the plan that one day, there would be sidewalks, curbs, and a shoulder. Truth is, most cities were never able to afford putting in that infrastructure like they did up north. So, in light of that, cities allow parking on the swale.

[jsun556]

Originally Posted by annerk

Nothing? My HOA provides recreational activities including a heated pool, tennis courts, golf, basketball, fitness center, an owners clubhouse which can be "rented" for free for any number of activities and parties, various adult and children's activities that range from an Easter Egg Hunt to July 4th picnic with burgers, dogs, etc. We are also gated and guarded which while not foolproof, definitely keeps out most of the riff-raff. We have almost no crime.

I guess our priorities are different. I'd personally rather have a pool that is my own and for all that, a pretty much everything else can be had for a cheaper gym membership. Activities and parties in my own home or at friend's houses.

Sounds like I'd rather live the majority of my life outside the gates of an HOA.