Are apartment complexes required to have sufficient parking for tenants?

Question

My husband and I live in an apartment complex where parking has always been somewhat of an issue. He left last night at about 8:30pm to get a pack of cigarettes at the gas station across the street. When he came back his parking spot was gone and there was nowhere to park. He drove around the complex twice and there wasn't a single spot to park. He ended up parking on the curb which is a fire lane. We have parked here and so have others and have never been towed. This morning when he was leaving for work his truck was gone and it turns out it was towed. So now he has to pay the towing fee. The complex has told tenants that there are enough spots for two vehicles per apartment. Are apartment complexes required to have sufficient parking for tenants? What can I do about this? Is there anyone I can contact to report this?

Answer 1

Apartments are not required to have "enough" parking, they are required to have a specific number of parking spaces per unit or bedroom, depending on the local authority. Unless those parking spaces are assigned, they don't care, nor do they have a requirement to see to there being a parking space available for someone.

Furthermore, if the apartment building was built prior to the implementation of the current building codes [i.e. the parking requirements] and so they do not have enough spaces, they were probably considered grandfathered under the old laws and still deemed legal. That, again, depends on the local authority.

In other words, there is not much that can be done in this case other than complaining to the office. That does not require them to do anything, but a sufficient rouse about it on premises or with letters to the editor could raise local awareness enough so as to force reaction for fear of losing tenants.

Answer 2

As far as your husband parking illegally, nothing you can do but pay the fine and impounds.

You can complain to your manager. If they have two spots per unit, there should be plenty of parking. They can do a couple of things. Have assigned parking spaces, where each unit is assigned two spots. They can also issue parking stickers, two per unit, and when a tenant moves out, they have to turn them in. Anyone found to be parking in violation of the rules is towed for the property.

It is pretty simple. It is also a big problems with apartments.

Answer 3

Ummmm....you somehow expect the management to patrol the parking lot to insure that every vehicle there is registered to one of the tenants, and to do this 24/7 ? Please......if there are two spots for each tenant and that is what is advertised, that's what you get.

Your husband elected to park illegally on his own. Parking in a fire lane is an obvious violation and a safety issue. He deserved to be towed and he will have to ante up the towing and impound fees accordingly.

Answer 4

If you are renting the apartment, check your lease to see if parking is included and what stall number(s) your unit is assigned to. If your unit has stalls assigned, speak to your landlord who should then take it up with the complex management or board.

If you own the unit, hopefully the property description includes the stall(s). Again, contact the complex management or board to see about enforcing the rules. Also, check your house rules. It should be clearly stated what is allowed for parking.

As to your husband parking in the fire lane, I'm afraid this is a case of tough luck. What if there had been an emergency and the responders couldn't get to the building?

Answer 5

Yes, you need to call the manager of the complex. Most people that I know who live are allowed two spaces per residence, whether you have two cars or not( for company perhaps). They are usually marked or numbered to go along with your apartment number. I truly doubt that they will help you pay the towing since it was a fire zone( even though that's all he could do), but they do need to enforce letting people have parking in the complex!

Answer 6

No, they are not.

It was your husband's choice to park illegally. Don't assume that just because you parked your car illegally a few times and were not towed, doesn't equal the fact that you can keep doing it.

You are SOL.