Q: We rent a nice townhouse in a quiet community. Since there are two of us, we have been parking one car in our driveway and the other in whatever guest spot is open. Many of our neighbors do the same. This morning, I found a note on the car window threatening to tow my car for not parking in our assigned driveway spot. To add insult to injury, the note also stated I could not park backed-in. Can the association tell me where and how to park? —Kelly
A: Regardless of whether you rent or own your home, the community association can tell you where and how to park if the community’s governing documents give them that right. This goes for condominiums, homeowners associations, and cooperative communities.
These same rules can also control what type of vehicle you are allowed to park, with many communities banning overnight parking of commercial vehicles. The association can also control the use of guest spots.
