Part 6  of our HOA Compliance Series. View part 5, HOA Paint Violations here. 

Many communities, especially those made up of townhomes and condos, restrict parking curbside. Even though this is a great tactic to keep the community safe and looking nice, it can oftentimes annoy homeowners who don’t see the real reason for the rules. If your community struggles with parking problems, then we hope we can help. After managing a number of communities facing this issue, we’re sharing these tips to help your HOA improve parking without turning you into the parking police.

Post Signs

If homeowners and guests don’t know that curbside parking isn’t allowed, how can you expect them to follow the rules? Have clear signage showing where parking is and isn’t allowed. Also, if all streets are fire lanes, consider painting the curbs red to notify drivers. Most drives recognize red curbs as a no-parking zone.

Provide Parking Alternatives

If all street parking is off limits, tell people where they can park. If residents don’t have a place for guests to park, expect to see more violations. Some communities offer small parking lot areas to offset the limited or non-existent street parking. Residents tolerate restrictions better when they feel like they’ve been provided with reasonable compromises.

Notify Residents

If your community has rules around parking but hasn’t enforced them, don’t just start enforcing them without notifying homeowners.  There is no faster way to upset residents than to suddenly change the way things work without communicating beforehand. Send out a newsletter sharing the upcoming enforcement changes and the reasons why.

Fair Warnings

If you notice a homeowner periodically or chronically violating the rules, chat with them. Chances are they thought no one would notice or they aren’t aware of your community’s parking restrictions. Addressing these issues in a non-confrontational manner is a great way to defuse problems before they get out of hand.

Towing

Towing can be expensive and a good way to build bad blood, so consider all options before proceeding! That said – it might be your best option if you have a resident who refuses to follow the rules even after he or she has been notified. Just make sure all no-parking areas are clearly marked and that the tow truck company posts visible signage so people know where to find their car.

As with all violations, remember that most folks aren’t trying to be “jerks”, they simply don’t know the rules. Take time to build healthy lines of communication with residents and avoid any unnecessary predatory parking behavior. You want people to feel comfortable and at ease when they come home, not like big brother is watching them and waiting to nail them with a violation the moment they have one toe out of line! If you need help managing parking violations in your community, give us a call today.