These people knew there were HOA rules when the moved it. Don't assign cultural excuses for their behavior. This is a personality issue not a culture issue. A kind person, of any nationality, wouldn't purposely and continuously block someone's driveway.

I was on the board of my prior condo association and this was the single biggest issue. I got on the board because I thought they were doing a poor job. They were. But the garage-as-storage-as-playroom never got better.

The only way to manage it is start doing inspections and fining people afterwards. No matter what, people get pissed off. On both sides.

So you pick your battles. If this means enough to you, then you complain to the board. Sometimes you have to complain over and over again. People will make assumptions about who reported them and behave "accordingly". It is what it is. You just have to decide. HOA's never create the utopia they intend.

Our 'hood is situated around a fairly tight loop. When drivers disregard the parking regulations, it's a safety issue. Our HOA will request that the fire department conduct a non-emergency drive-through, and educate the homeowner(s) about the hazards of blocking the street.

Doesn't the HOA fee cover enforcement of the rules to make sure you get the kind of neighborhood you bought into? If it doesn't, what is the point of paying the fee?

I empathize with your frustration. I used to live in an HOA community and they allowed no street parking without a permit. Even visitors had to have a temporary permit displayed. Cars without a permit were cited, fined and eventually towed if they continued to flout the rules. I'm guessing the streets belonged to the community rather than to the city.

I would definitely contact the HOA and ask what remedies are available to the HOA if a homeowner continues to break the rules. Either that or find acceptance in your mind and count your blessings that the neighbors aren't loud partiers with barking dogs and children who egg your house and trample your garden.

Be aware that HOAs rarely have any sort of legal teeth, and even if there are fines for inappropriate parking, collecting them from someone who doesn't pay them can involve legal fees that the HOA does not have. I lived in one where fines as well as Years of HOA fees in arrears were collected only at the time of the sale of the property -- this was a condo with more structure than a development association as well. Here, I am not even sure you could get the police to enforce parking if it is only an HOA rule and not a Township law. HOAs often work primarily because of people wanting to cooperate or not be embarrassed by having their name show up in the budgets as owing fees or fines...but if someone could not care less about rules or what anyone else thought, enforcement can be nearly impossible. I finally moved out of an HOA because of the combination of people wanting to control the smallest thing (like whether a unit that formerly had no washer and dryer was allowed to install one) vs people who were uncontrollable.

We have a very active and involved HOA at our lake condo. Absolutely you should report the violations to your HOA. Is their a Board of Directors? Do they hold regular meetings and a yearly homeowners association meeting? Ours does (I am former president and board member) and residents are invited to attend all proceedings, unless their is sensitive business to discuss during a portion of the meeting.

Reminders are often e-mailed out to homeowners in our association. Perhaps this is one way of a 'reminder' to all of the Covenants and 'Rules', or whatever your HOA calls them.

Yes, the neighbors will probably be PO'd at having to park elsewhere. New people in our association often ignore the rules about parking in certain locations, parking boats and trailers long-term and things like that which are not allowed. If your neighbors have been there 2 years, shame on them.

There may be a few things that I've not explained well. The worst-offending neighbors speak English fluently, and I'm assuming the adult child on whose car I left my note reads it as well. When I said they are immigrants, I didn't mean that they are recent immigrants. I was speaking more to the concept of several generations living under one room, which is more common in some cultures than others. Actually, I think it's rather lovely that families would want to live together and so care for one another in this way. But those who have said that they should've known what they were agreeing to when they moved into the neighborhood are correct.

Now that bratty kids and barking dogs have been mentioned, I am feeling a little more generous towards them and their parking issues. Admittedly, I am not a dog person and a dog that barks incessantly sends me over the edge quickly. We also seem to have one of those behind us now. Joy, joy. ;-) Thankfully, our home is well-insulated and I really only have to hear that yap-yap-yap if I'm outside, and it does eventually stop which leads me to think it could be a lonely dog whose owners aren't home.

Thanks to all who have shared thoughts and experiences. I really hope to look at this from as many angles as possible.

I do understand too about HOAs that are out of control. The Architectural Control Committee of the HOA in the neighborhood where I lived in the late 90s sent us a warning because our garage was not "adequately shielded from public view." This is a current view of the house. The garage is around back. There is a sidewalk and street that goes alongside the garage. There were also shrubs present at the time, although as this was new construction they had not had time to grow to the more ample proportions that you see in this pic. OMG, shield that garage! Nobody can know we have garages around here! Ridiculous.

I used to live in an HOA neighborhood. The township would ticket any cars parked on the street overnight. There was no on-street parking between midnight and 7:00 AM. Don't know if your parking rules are set by the HOA or the township. If township then just call the PD and make a complaint. They will drive around and ticket anyone parked on the street. We got ticketed a few times when we forgot to move one of the cars but there were people who were blatant offenders and I was glad when they got ticketed.

Oh, they are not recent immigrant's and have lived here for generations. Well, that's a whole different story then. I thought you wanted to temporarily give them a pass because they didn't understand. That was my reasoning behind you helping them understand. If you move into an HOA ones culture has nothing to do with the rules they bought into and fully understand.

JT, I don't know whether or not they have lived here "for generations." They speak fluent English and wear traditional clothing (which is absolutely beautiful, by the way). I feared that my mentioning their being immigrants would be misinterpreted, so I'll just try to clarify by saying that it's something I'm cognizant of based upon our current political climate. I just have a desire to be as kind and accommodating as reasonably possible, given the fact that they may be experiencing hardship in other ways and I don't wish to needlessly contribute.

Are the neighbors the owner of the home or might they be renting? If they are renting you may be able to contact the home owner about the parking issues.

Maddielee, the elder in the group along with one of the adult children are co-owners, as confirmed by our county tax records.

Admittedly we haven't had a lot of interaction with them. Right after they first moved in, we met the elder (very nice woman), and one of the adult children who struck us as being very standoffish and disinterested in speaking with us. We continued to speak to him whenever we saw him coming and going, and one day when we were outside working in the yard he actually stopped and chatted with us. (Told us that he wanted the builder-planted trees to die so that he could have them removed, but oh well. Never mind the fact that the HOA CC&Rs require us to have them! That may be an issue for another day.)

Maybe he had just been having a bad day at that initial meeting. They really do all seem perfectly nice, and have apologized on the occasions when we've had to ask them to move their vehicle out of the path of our driveway. So either they are just completely clueless, or careless. When I really stop and think about it, I have a hard time fully accepting that they're willfully flaunting the parking rules - but who knows?

While it's understandable that you want to be sensitive, I would take the word "immigrant" out of the equation because it's really irrelivant to the situation. A neighbor can be an inconsiderate neighbor regardless of where they come from and should be held to the same standards as anyone else in the same situation. The "neighbors" (as opposed to immigrants) bought into the same community you did agreeing to the same regulations. The next time it happens just nicely go and give them a nice but firm warning. Remind them of what the rules are and let them know that the next time they block your drive, you'll be forced to file a complaint and just tell them, you really don't want it to come down to that but it's very inconvenient when you're blocked from your own drive.

Would this be rude? It would certainly stop the problem. Maybe if you let them know in advance of your intentions, they might be happy or even appreciative that u found a way to solve problem w/o knocking on their door each time. There are nicer friendlier looking ones but I couldn't copy here, just the concrete industrial type.

Road bumper:

Ida, this is so timely! My HOA also prohibits on-street parking (actually, I wonder if Jojoco used to live in my neighborhood!). They also have "spies" who case the neighborhood and report infractions to the CAM. The CAM then sends out pretty nasty letters.

I've been driving a rental car since I hurt my shoulder, because our only car is a stick shift and I can't drive it. My DH has a company truck that he drives. When we go out together we go in our car. Since he's not an authorized driver on the rental car, I was parking it on the street so as not to block our car when we needed to go out.

We received a nasty-gram about parking the car on the street. I emailed them back and told them I was recovering from surgery and the extra car was only temporary. I also chastised them (again) for the nasty tone of their letters.

Meanwhile, every couple of weeks a very large RV shows up down the street. They hook it up to the power and water and pop the side out (into the street!) and it stays for several days then disappears again. Of course, we have no idea if they have gotten letters, but I keep wishing a fire truck or ambulance needed to get through there and would take that pop-out side right off!

Donna

Donna,

i lived in Keenes point in Windermere.

As pal mentioned - most HOA's really have little power to enforce their regulations. Our vacation home in upstate PA is in a HOA and the regulations are not stringent at all. RV's must be parked behind the home (lot sizes range from 2 to 100 acres) no clear cutting of properties, no farm animals etc. It's very easy to comply.

There is one absentee homeowner who has never paid his annual dues in over 20 years. The HOA notifies him annually of his overdue fees and accrued fines with interest. Every 4 or 5 years it goes up for sheriff's sale due to back taxes. He pays the mininum and goes on his merry way. The only way the HOA will ever see any money is when he sells since they have filed a lien on his property. However the HOA's attorney told them that they will be listed among all creditors and will only get pennies on the dollar.

I find them completely ineffective. We also have neighbors that don't pay or don't abide by rules and they get the nastigrams, with zero result. One time a dissident neighbor (lawyer) threatened to sue and the outcome was that HOA BoD bought a hefty insurance policy protecting their collective a@@. But it is voluntary and I have little or no right to complain if i am not part of the solution. My fees are low in comparison to some nearby subdivisions. Oh, and they have a hayride.....

most HOA's really have little power to enforce their regulations.

Hmm, ours can put a lien on your house and I know of at least one in Windermere that has pretty big teeth, but selective enforcement is usually a problem most places, I think.

@writers, maybe it depends on funds. Ours is so scared of being taken to cleaners by a savvy rule breaker, they look the other way. And if I knew they spent all my dues in a Legal pi@@ing contest, I probably wouldn't like it. HOA can't please everybody all the time, so mine chooses to do as little as possible, the realtor run HOAs have more financial and legal clout

Yes, but yours is voluntary, isn't it, bossy? Ours is mandated in the governing docs, which makes a big difference, I think.

I think the fact is that they don't care about the HOA rules and are so absorbed doing their own thing they don't give a lot of thought to their neighbors. I lived in a row house neighborhood, and as people moved in and out, it became clear to me that some people are just considerate and aware of others, and are interested in being neighborly, and some people just aren't. Unfortunately, I think you have ones that aren't. That doesn't mean they are being annoying on purpose, it just doesn't occur to them. So continue to politely make your requests known. Maybe the squeaky wheel will get the grease.

Some HOAs are more stringent than others. Ours is strict, PIA at times.

Our neighborhood is about 120 homes, small neighborhood so people know each other. Back during the recession they sent everyone a letter naming the people that were in arrears with their HOA dues and how much $ they owed.

We also went on vacation for three weeks and had a letter waiting for us to cut our grass (we had cut it a couple days before we left and fully expected the nasty letter and they came through as usual.) And ours does tack on a fee if you don't fix it within x amount of days or if you don't let them know when it will be fixed.

Another time we had a dead tree in our backyard. They must drive around with binoculars because it was very hard to see (basically impossible) from the road. They caught us on that.

Now they are complaining because everyone's big oak trees are canopying over the road (which I think looks kind of neat) 20+ year old trees. Probably will cost everyone a couple of thousand $ to have them trimmed.

But it keeps out the riff raff. We have even had some neighbors complain that the guard gives them trouble coming into the community even with a sticker on their car and the fact that they live here!

The HOA can do a lot of things to enforse the CC&Rs. They can have cars towed, fine a home owner, sue and even put a lien against your property. On the flip side, as a homeowner, you also have the right to expect that the HOA enforce the CC&R's. If a homeowner is having a continous problem and the HOA doesn't enforce the rules, that homeower can sue the HOA for damages. Of course they have a process they have to follow and every state is different but most states do have similar guidelines.

HOA Enforcement Powers

Almost every planned development has a number of rules and regulations in its CC&Rs. Many have adopted additional rules and regulations, found in a separate document.

When someone breaks any of these rules, it’s usually the HOA that’s responsible to enforce them. Just who will take on an enforcement role and how far the HOA can go to make you comply depends also on the specific language in the development’s bylaws and CC&Rs.

Some developments give the HOA more enforcement rights than others. Among these might be the right to:

• fine any owner violating a covenant, rule, or regulation (for example, you may be assessed a fine each day you keep the metal fence up)
• enter upon an owner’s property to determine whether the owner is breaking any rules (the HOA could come onto your land to check out what your fence is made of)
• enter upon an owner’s property to remedy a rule violation (for instance, the HOA could remove your metal fence)
• suspend the rule-breaking owner’s right to use the common facilities (you may not be allowed to use the fitness room, for example, until you pay any fines and take the fence down)
• sue an owner who violates any restriction, covenant, or rule, (watch out; you could end up in a lawsuit and ultimately with a court order requiring you to take down the fence),
• hold the owner responsible for any attorneys fees or costs incurred by the HOA in enforcing a rule, (if the HOA is successful, you may be in for more than just the cost of removing the fence), and/or
• place a lien on an owner’s property (if you owe enough in fines, the HOA might be able to put a lien on your home, meaning that your title to the property won’t be clear until the debt is paid).

The potential power of HOAs also varies by state. FL used to have a very weak HOA law, for instance, although condominium associations were closely regulated, but they changed that somewhat a few years ago. That's when our HOA began to be able to do more than just scold.

Some people buy a house without understanding that they are putting themselves under the restrictions of an HOA. And it's not just first time home buyers.

If you don't want your neighbors making the street look like a used car lot, you need to work at getting the HOA rules enforced. Call the builder and explain the problem. You have to make this an issue for the builder. And that means repeated calls to the builder.

Forget the immigrant issue. It doesn't matter. Just as it doesn't matter that it is a multi-generational family. They have 4 spaces to park cars. That is all that matters.

As you might guess, I have been through this.

If it's not a private road, it might be useful to beg the police to come and enforce city parking regulations. I can live with street parking--my family had 3 working teenagers at one point--but blocking driveways and facing the wrong direction and being too far from the curb are ticketable in most towns.

Private road though? Keep talking to them. Talk to the elders. Give yourself a deadline and then contact the HOA.

Just BE THAT NEIGHBOR. The other neighbors will secretly thank you.

We live in an HOA community, and when I couldn't resolve an issue with a former neighbor, I filed a complaint with the HOA. I was able to remain anonymous, and the HOA was able to resolve the issue.

In the past, our HOA has made people remove items such as fences or playscapes that weren't approved by the architectural committee, fined people for leaving a trash can outside a fence and even placed liens on property for non-payment of dues.

Our HOA represents over 30,000 households. It is very strict and powerful and will take you to court and put a lien on your house. You can refuse to pay but you could never sell your house. The only way you might get out of it would be to declare certain types of bankruptcy. It all starts with a condescending letter.

We do have great public spaces, multiple free top of the line recreations centers, dog parks, free community events, etc.

When we've moved, we always read the HOA documents exteremely carefully. I've lived next to pack rats, and the people with junkers on blocks int he yard- I do like a good HOA. Everyone can see the rules and regs before they buy, and it wouldn't bother me in the least to "report" someone.

We had this issue in an old place we lived- the firetrucks could not drive down the street with all the street parking, however it turned out it was under the city's jurisdiction, so the HOA couldn't actually do anything about the roads. The city began patrolling very frequently, and took care of the issue.

Whatever you decide to do, you must document the problem. Take photos of the problems, with the dates marked on the photos, including the license plate of the offending vehicle. The Board should address the issue of you not being able to get onto your driveway. That's not about pickiness, it's about being able to access your property. You do have to pick your battles and continue to friendly or at least non-confrontational.

In our HOA we have one homeowner who constantly would open the gate with a code so her guests would not have to call to get in, and the homeowner would leave the gate open, allowing anyone to drive into the association. I and two other neighbors were just as constantly closing the gate and reminding everyone (in a general way) not to leave it open. It got really annoying.

It was only when the home just opposite our gate was burglarized and stripped of valuables that the offending homeowner stopped opening the gate and leaving it open. It's all about motivation.

I work with developers and all new developments going in around the Metro area (which is booming with new construction) have HOA's. But that is because the community is on the hook for infrastructure and open spaces. The developers do just enough to recover their costs & profit then vanish-leaving the HOA's to hold the bag. They get so much stuff written into deeds that puts the onus on the HOA's that I'd be afraid to live in one.

During the housing crash we saw many, many homeowners in unfinished subdivisions who were on the hook to the City or County or whatever local government they were located in for sewer charges, unpaid street improvements, etc. If they didn't pay up, boom-liens on their homes

If one is lucky they buy in to a completed development-where at least the financial pain is spread out, but should someone be unlucky enough to buy into a partially developed subdivision-I'd be wary!

As to your issue-it sounds to me that the one neighbor who wants the trees to die either doesn't care about the HOA rules or feels they're more 'suggestions' than actual rules. Not an uncommon phenomenon. I'd have a real heart to heart talk with them and explain that it's not you-it's the rules and bring a copy of the CC&R's so they know you are serious.

The other neighbors-well, they're just being entitled and lazy-leaving that poor dog to bark all day. Definitely let the board know what is going on. I'm sure you're not the only street in the community that this is occurring on.

Ida I think your neighbours will know who "told" based on your previous notes. I think you like to be liked (I do too!) so you will have to square that with knowing who reported them.

I would still report particularly if they interfered with my driveway.

I live on a public city street with constant on street parking and no one ever blocks my driveway! There was a year when the girl across the street was dating a guy in a band and their butt ugly band van parked in front of our house every single day. Especially annoying because the space in front of their house was open.

Ida, I feel for you. Doubly so because you feel you can't complain out of concern that you could be viewed as being prejudiced.

Honestly, you have done all you can. Things will not change. Your neighbors see nothing wrong with parking their cars helter skelter and they are not concerned that they are blocking your driveway.

If you complain, as Robo mentions above, they will know it's you. At this point, all you can do is keep ringing their doorbell with a smile on your face, asking if they can move the car in question. And, stand their until they do, again with a bright smile.

Side story: In our neighborhood, people get a bit protective over the spaces in front of their homes. We also have the town rule of no overnight during winter months and police will ticket although I think they find the cars because of complaints. I don't think they go around looking.

One across the street neighbor was angry because our gardener kept parking in front of his house! In fairness the gardener also did the home next to his as well. And really, what does it take an hour or two weekly?

As of late, we have a renter across the street and she has health workers coming daily to help her with her special needs son. It is annoying when we can't park our cars where we want, and sometimes how they park can make pulling out a challenge for us. But, we live with it. In our case, renters usually stay a year and then with move away or buy in the area.

It's an issue for us because we still have four cars even though now it's just two of us. At this point keeping all four works for us for various reasons, so we just juggle.

If the HOA board isn't there to enforce then why are you paying a fee? It is theirs to do. You did your best to keep this between the two of you now you have no option but to bring in bigger guns.

I don't have anything more to add that hasn't already been said, but good luck.

We do not live in an HOA neighborhood, but we have a voluntary neighborhood association. We have more freedom but sometimes have to deal with nuisances. Our city code enforcement is pretty good, though.

I had an HOA when I live in my previous home (townhouse). I was single and not interested in maintaining grounds and roof. We did have to pay an attorney to get liens after people who did not pay their dues.

I want to thank all who took the time to thoughtfully respond and provide me with a broader insight. I have had a brief discussion with another neighbor who has had some dealings with the HOA, and I'm encouraged to know that there are at least others in our small community who want to see the rules enforced in a fair and reasonable manner. I will continue to let the neighbors know when their parking overreaches, and I'm going to keep researching the rules and remedies.

I really do love living here. The move that we made almost two years ago was exactly right for us and I intend to keep reminding myself that the benefits vastly outweigh the annoyances. Thank you again for your kind and helpful input.

@writersblock. I generalized by stating HOAs are ineffective. S/h said our little, volunteer-run is ineffective and w/limited resources.

Many, like where my SIL lives, are extremely powerful, rich and effective. For ex., they have a reg. that tree canopies must hang no lower than X ft from the ground in public areas. Somebody comes around with a yardstick and measures. Once they were on vacation and she got the nastigram about trimming by a certain date. Since she was away she didn't respond so HOA trimmed it for her and sent her the bill. She wasn't happy, of course, but understood and respected the rules. I found it fair also. She lives in a subdivision that is absolutely beautiful with not a blade of grass out of place, no autos parked in other people's property (call to complain and they tow!), etc, etc.

OP, glad you have an action plan, didn't doubt it for a sec.

I have the one eyesore house in my HOA community across the street from me (of course).

She is elderly and has heart and lung problems and hip and knee replacements. I can't bring myself to say anything about the old paint and dying yard. The HOA did site her for the yard a while back but it doesn't look much better. She is such an extraordinary women I don't think anyone's heart is in enforcing the rules too harshly. My husband and I do small things for her often. The problem in this case is that she has a healthy adult female child living with her that is a lazy slob about helping her mother with the house. She does have a job though. And, she does volunteer to help underprivileged children.

So, we (and a few others) are in a tough spot.

JTL, what a great opportunity for a community work party to help your neighbor. Of course, it will help the daughter, too, but that, too would be a gift to the mother. I wonder if others in your community would be willing to spend a Saturday (or Sunday after church :-) cleaning up her place for her? Sometimes paint can be had quite inexpensively at Habitat, etc. It would help her and you'd benefit your view, too!

Another possible benefit could be that it might energize daughter into keeping up a little better in the future. She'll realize that all eyes and on this house and residents

It's not just in HOA communities. My neighborhood (it was a subdivision when it was started just before WWII and finished in the late 40's), is a Sixth Class City. We have a Mayor, Councilmen, and a rep on the county Metro Council. All are elected posts but few are contested elections - hard to find anyone to run. In my state, a Sixth Class city may pass ordinances, but has no power to enforce them, i.e. Ordinances become mere "suggestions".

I've lived hear for nearly 33 years and have seen the neighborhood change in many ways. Property values have soared - I could never afford to buy here today. A good thing! So have property taxes. Not such a good thing! The biggest difference is the people buying in this neighborhood - all are young and very affluent and most blatantly disregard the city ordinances. Parking on the street is a big problem - usually where there are multiple teen drivers. While most houses were built with 2-car garages but single lane driveways, these houses now have 5 drivers, and yes, inevitably their garages are packed with "stuff". There is truly no place to park unless they want to have to play musical cars when folks come and go.

Very few use their garages as they are stuffed. Many garages have been converted to family rooms over the years and unattached garages built at the back of the property. They were supposed to get permits for these and have abutting and across the street neighbors give there consent but few bother - they just build them since the city can't make them tear them down.

Trash pickup is a major problem with the young families. We have twice weekly pickup with 3 containers allowed at the house line, but these families each have one big container that they put out on the street the night before, invariably over flowing. This attracts skunks and raccoons.

If anyone complains to the mayor, he sends out a citywide email reminding all residents of the rules, and one to the offending family. Nothing happens and they know it won't. In the past, people in the neighborhood were far more considerate of their neighbors. A sign of the times.

These days, one must just accept such thoughtlessness or move to the country.

Hi Oly, I did think of that but really it is all beyond what unskilled volunteers could do, particularly those I could possibly recruit. Most wouldn't even know how to properly wash their own car.

The good news is that I spoke to her tonight and she is in the process of bids for her yard. She has to have the whole thing re-sodded. All old grass/weeds will be killed off to start over. The same company is also going to remove the large dead tree and two or three tree stumps. After that she is starting on the house that needs a lot of wood replacement due to rot, then paint. I didn't say anything but suspect she will also need a stucco guy unless she plans on re-stoning some of the crumbling decorative areas.

She told me the HOA sent her a letter. I'm pretty sure she got a letter before. Maybe they gave her more time because she was having so many operations. She seems to be doing well health wise at the moment.

She has my number if she runs into any problems.

I haven't lived here long but I guess her home has been in disrepair for a while. We do have a new management company now though.

Ida,

I would mark my calendar for 6 months from now, and then report it to the HOA. Make sure they will give you anonymity. The 6 months is to throw them off the scent. Because, face it, bad neighbors can make one unhappy in a million ways, and HOAs are rarely knights in shining armor.

One thing I have not seen mentioned ... if you do not report things to the HOA and have the HOA handle them, you weaken the HOA rules. In other words, when rules are unenforced over many years, then the rules can become unenforceable because a precedent has been set.

Good point Mtn. By that time there will be more people on the street. Hopefully owners that want their neighborhood to look a certain way.

I am surprised the HOA people haven't stepped in, Escpecially because it's still 'developer based'. I would think that they would want their development to looks its best for potential sales. If the parking problems occur after business hours, you may need to show them photos of the offending vehicles.

I worked in code enforcement for 7 years. Code enforcement should be done by violation.....not by complaint! Then no one has to be the cranky neighbor! I walked all around our town looking for violations, sent out letters, made calls, filed citations, etc. By far, most people complied with the notice and remedied the situation. I left that position and we are right back to where we started. It irks me everytime I see the code officer relaxing in her office. You have to be out and about with that job! It did not take people long to realize that they HAD to comply.