Can a HOA tell me that I cannot park my car on the street because it is in front of a neighbor's house? (Houston: houses, neighborhoods)

[yo-mama]

Sounds like quite a mess and I feel the need to apologize to you disgustedintx for the rudeness of ethanw and trele6. You asked a good question and I know how it is to have unruly neighbors. It does make for a very difficult life when angst exists between neighbors. Some people just look for reasons to complain and drag people around them down. Good Luck with your situation and feel free to post in the future. Not everyone is as quick to judge and belittle posters.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Though I'm not sure I completely understand the logistics of this parking situation, parking in front of your neighbors house on his side of the street is considered rude. I assume you're not talking about parking on your side of the street, which is completely fine. I'll just say if it comes down to an HOA showdown, you'll lose if you're arguing you can use his curb to park your car. Most people don't care as long as you're not blocking a driveway, but this guy seems like a touchy @&$? so you've got to decide how much you want to play his game. There's not much in terms of legal advice other than if you live in an HOA you're bound by lots of petty rules that require the board to be on your side to get around. Good luck.

[crone]

You are in a he said-she said situation. Sounds like the guy is a racist. There is lots of that going around and not a thing anybody can do about it. I'd get one of those motion detector cameras that calls your phone and tv.

Record every contact with the guy.

I'd park in my driveway just for safety sake as there are people who break into cars all over town.

[HoustonRonnie]

Block parking your own driveway I can see. We've done that from time to time when we have a $hitload of guests at the house for whatever reason. Parking in front of someone elses house is another story. We have a neighbor that often has guests and they park in front of my place. My response it to mow and edge the lawn and try to get as much grass/mud on their vehicle as possible then turn the sprinklers on.

This morning, one of those cars was parked in the street in front of my house with the a$$ end hanging into my driveway. Now THAT pissed me off. If it's still there when I get home, I'll go over and knock on the door. I have to be careful though. The owner is a starting offensive lineman for the Texans.

Ronnie

[davidrod8]

Originally Posted by ethanw

Just park your damn car in your damn garage or own drive way and be done with mate. Why park it in the street to begin with? Too lazy to walk, too lazy to park the other cars in the garage, to lazy to do the courteous thing? So your convenience is becoming your neighbor inconvenience? How is that for a reality check. Yes you gonna throw in my face that you're not breaking any laws. Yes I know that, they can't have laws for stupidity and common sense.

+1...

It amazes me how people can be so careless about others... You have at least 2 parking spots inside your garage plus 2 more on the driveway... Have more than 2 cars? Then that's your problem... Why should others suffer so that you are more comfortable? I'm sorry, the fact that I'm not using the street in front of my house doesn't mean that you can use it...

From what I read here it sounds like the OP has a complex issue or something... Don't forget you are the one that started this whole thing by parking there...

I can understand if you have a get together in your house that you have a few extra cars outside, but it shouldn't be allowed to have cars sleeping on the streets... It's a street, not a parking lot!!!

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by HoustonRonnie

Block parking your own driveway I can see. We've done that from time to time when we have a $hitload of guests at the house for whatever reason. Parking in front of someone elses house is another story. We have a neighbor that often has guests and they park in front of my place. My response it to mow and edge the lawn and try to get as much grass/mud on their vehicle as possible then turn the sprinklers on.

This morning, one of those cars was parked in the street in front of my house with the a$$ end hanging into my driveway. Now THAT pissed me off. If it's still there when I get home, I'll go over and knock on the door. I have to be careful though. The owner is a starting offensive lineman for the Texans.

Ronnie

Thats so very neighborly of you...Im glad your not my neighbor. Rather than vandalize their vehicle (which is what you are doing) why dont you grow a pair and either ask them to move their car or just go inside and pout about what a sad and pathetic person you are.

The facts & the laws are VERY simple in this case. The HOA does not own and can not create rules or bylaws effecting the streets, unless the HOA provides its own Fire & Police service. City ordinances usually require you to move a car parked on the street every so often. If you do what the ordinance says you are free to legally park wherever you want.

Just b/c things are legal to do does not mean that its the best choice of things to do. It is considered rude to park in front of your neighbors house or on the opposite side of your street if your not already utilizing all of the parking in front of your house, including your own driveway or garage.

Neighbors seem to expect people to play the musical cars game...I dont. That game is pointless...if you have too many cars to fit in your drive without shuffling, then just park them in front of your own house.

If they try to use the HOA against you - document everything. The HOA is required to operate within a written set of rules/policies - if they operate outside of that then they are acting improperly. If they threaten you personally make police reports of harassment. If they threaten to put a lien on your property sue them.

The best option is to deescalate the situation though....Im sure you know what he wants and if you are capable of doing it, then why make it harder on yourself? A racist is a racist - you cant make your life any better so long as you live by someone like that.

[3a's]

It sounds like you have a potential of 4 cars in your family? Unless you can afford a 4 car garage this is not likely for you to park all cars in the garage........ Parking at the end of your own driveway is fine especially if you have kids playing in the driveway. Having your daughter park out in front of the problem man's house is not! You are rubbing salt in wounds by doing this since he parks his car there you are taking away his manly turf. If your kids are outside playing tell them to ignore whatever the man says it sounds like he needs a hormonal shot if he is talking to young kids. As for the HOA they are trying to be a mediator nothing else and enforce the rules. Send a letter to the HOA signed by all drivers in the family that no car is left in the same spot for more than 72 hours and if they send the police anymore to your house that you will seek legal counsel for harassment. Let go of the other comments. DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE AGAIN! If he parks in front of your house take a picture and send to the HOA with his License plate, camera and time tagged on the shot. Good Luck and there are some people out there that have nothing better to do than make other peoples' life horrible just like there's.

[ethanw]

So again, your convenience is becoming someone else inconvenience. Easier to park in the street and inconvenience your neighbor rather than playing musical cars game. Nice.

I have the exact similar situation with the neighbor in front my house.His kids will constantly park in front of my driveway across the street making it very hard for me and my wife to back our cars out of our garage. I nicely warned my neighbor that I will not pay one penny if we run into his car. He moved his cars for a while but then he started again. Exactly as we anticipated, recently in one early morning my wife backed her SUV straight into his car damaging his rear driver door, really bad. The neighbor tried to hint to me that he would like my insurance to pay for the damage and I give him the look where I said, I WARNED you this will happen. I also told him that I don't mind my insurance to pay for the damage but as far as the being nice neighbor part, is over and from that point on the rules will drastically change. He fixed his own car, he is no longer parking in the street and we get along just fine. Him and his family are out for a month now and actually I am watching his house, pool and taking care of their cat and dog. Grown ups do find a way to compromise and fix their differences if there is common sense.

Originally Posted by marksmu

Neighbors seem to expect people to play the musical cars game...I dont. That game is pointless...if you have too many cars to fit in your drive without shuffling, then just park them in front of your own house.

[HoustonRonnie]

Originally Posted by marksmu

Thats so very neighborly of you...Im glad your not my neighbor. Rather than vandalize their vehicle (which is what you are doing) why dont you grow a pair and either ask them to move their car or just go inside and pout about what a sad and pathetic person you are.

Pfffttt... I scoff at your (at least I know "your" from "you're") derision. You really should refrain from speaking to others' nether regions. That's really bad form.


Just sayin'...

Ronnie

[texsn95]

Don't feel special, that's how he is with most people here.