Question on HOA Having us Clean Out Garage to Park Cars that are on our driveway

[Perspective]

How can they enforce it if instead of parking in your driveway you park on the street in front of your house?

My HOA only conducts inspection during the day where everybody is at work, this way they don't have to worry about parking problem in the community (condos).

You can park on the street. The street is owned by the city of Irvine and is city property line. The HOA has no business with the curb and can't write parking citations. However, motorcourts are enforced by the HOA since motorcourts typically aren't city property.

Not necessarily. The streets in Orchard Hills Village II are privately owned by the HOA.

 

[Ready2Downsize]

English is funny - we park on driveways and drive on parkways  ;D

We don't want stains on our driveway so we've never parked on the driveway. If we can't fit both cars in the garage (like we r working on a project) we park on the street. If we had a bigger than 2 car garage we wouldn't need to move a car out for a project but it is what it is.

As far as we are concerned, the DRIVEWAY is a WAY for us to DRIVE into the garage.

As for making it look like someone is home...... our HOA had a policeman come and talk at an HOA meeting and he specifically said park a car on the driveway if you go on vacation instead of just in the garage because it makes it look like someone is home.

Bottom line OP......... if it's in the CC&Rs you have to abide by it or they will assess escalating fines which eventually u will be forced to pay if you want to sell your house.

 

[Paris167]

OP what Irvine village HOA is this? I wish they would enforce these rules as strictly in OH. Half my neighbors park 1, 2 or 3 cars outside of their garage on the driveways and streets and it really looks horrendous. All the landscaping is done but most hoard all this junk in their garages meant for parking vehicles. There are only a handful of homes parking 2 cars in their garage.  I think they should enforce strict fines.
And I know our HOA does fine - my neighbor got a $500 fine for not taking care of the weeds in the front yard in a timely manner.

 

[Ready2Downsize]

OP what Irvine village HOA is this? I wish they would enforce these rules as strictly in OH. Half my neighbors park 1, 2 or 3 cars outside of their garage on the driveways and streets and it really looks horrendous. All the landscaping is done but most hoard all this junk in their garages meant for parking vehicles. There are only a handful of homes parking 2 cars in their garage.  I think they should enforce strict fines.
And I know our HOA does fine - my neighbor got a $500 fine for not taking care of the weeds in the front yard in a timely manner.

If they only have a standard size 2 car garage and kids with bikes, sport equipment etc it's really hard to find room to park two cars in there.

BUT depending on how the street curves, parking on driveways and the streets can make it difficult to see backing out and it makes the neighborhood look not so nice, hence rules to park in the garage.

It's harder to break into cars INSIDE the garage and due to prop 47 criminals are running rampant with just a slap on the wrist, so that should be incentive enough to get those cars in the garage. If everyone is in their locked garage, criminals looking for a quick take are more likely to move onto another neighborhood that does have lots of cars out in the middle of the night when the rest of us r asleep.

AND it's way better for the paint to be inside the garage.

Gotta feel bad for people who have bulky stuff like bikes. Real pain to have those on the ceiling and I hate having those hang over my car.

 

[daedalus]

Wait, we're being trolled, right? 

"I like HOAs because they make the neighborhood look nice, but boo-hoo, the silly HOA has the nerve to ask me to park my vehicles in my garage instead of in my driveway.  What's up with that???"

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I've always found it interesting that an HOA can determine what you do with your garage.

I wonder if they've ever been challenged in court because to me, that is private property and as long as it's not something illegal, you should be able to do whatever you want.

It's funny because almost every house I've lived in, one of our neighbors always use their garage as a bonus room. Our first home had carpet in the garage... we left it in and parked on it... in hindsight, that was probably a fire hazard.

 

[jmoney74]

I've always found it interesting that an HOA can determine what you do with your garage.

I wonder if they've ever been challenged in court because to me, that is private property and as long as it's not something illegal, you should be able to do whatever you want.

It's funny because almost every house I've lived in, one of our neighbors always use their garage as a bonus room. Our first home had carpet in the garage... we left it in and parked on it... in hindsight, that was probably a fire hazard.

If you consider that then the backyard/front yard also private property that they should have no say over.

 

[kitkat01]

Wait, we're being trolled, right? 

"I like HOAs because they make the neighborhood look nice, but boo-hoo, the silly HOA has the nerve to ask me to park my vehicles in my garage instead of in my driveway.  What's up with that???"

Thanks for your post but you forgot to add that I also included "up to some extent"....  Our neighborhood looks nice and we have HOAs and for the most part, they do an excellent job but when I said "up to some extent", this is one of them.. I don't get why I can't park a car on the driveway. I don't see that as a "negative" when looking at the neighborhood. Our street have lots of parking spaces. I guess I should park it out on the street and not my driveway. But I always thought that my neighbor might need that street space for visitors and such so I just park on MY driveway since I have that space.

Thanks everyone! I guess I will just ask for an extension since we cannot do this in the next month or so. And we have plans to re-do our garage floors and cabinets in the near future so hopefully they will allow that extension. 

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I've always found it interesting that an HOA can determine what you do with your garage.

I wonder if they've ever been challenged in court because to me, that is private property and as long as it's not something illegal, you should be able to do whatever you want.

It's funny because almost every house I've lived in, one of our neighbors always use their garage as a bonus room. Our first home had carpet in the garage... we left it in and parked on it... in hindsight, that was probably a fire hazard.

If you consider that then the backyard/front yard also private property that they should have no say over.

That's a little different because they can be seen by your neighbors... just like the outside of your house (paint color etc)... but what is *inside* your house shouldn't be policed.

#GaragesMatter

 

[Rtlguru]

I've always found it interesting that an HOA can determine what you do with your garage.

I wonder if they've ever been challenged in court because to me, that is private property and as long as it's not something illegal, you should be able to do whatever you want.

It's funny because almost every house I've lived in, one of our neighbors always use their garage as a bonus room. Our first home had carpet in the garage... we left it in and parked on it... in hindsight, that was probably a fire hazard.

If you consider that then the backyard/front yard also private property that they should have no say over.

That's a little different because they can be seen by your neighbors... just like the outside of your house (paint color etc)... but what is *inside* your house shouldn't be policed.

#GaragesMatter

Or it's the same argument.

You could also argue that HOA considers cars parked in driveways eyesores. So it's not what's in the garage that the HOA is concerned about. You can put whatever you want in the garage, as long as the cars are in there too!

 

[momopi]

English is funny - we park on driveways and drive on parkways  ;D

We don't want stains on our driveway so we've never parked on the driveway. If we can't fit both cars in the garage (like we r working on a project) we park on the street. If we had a bigger than 2 car garage we wouldn't need to move a car out for a project but it is what it is.

You can clean some oil stains on the driveway with WD40 then dish soap.

Side note for others -- if you have old clunkers in the driveway and want to make them look nice, try Lemon Scented "Rinso Furniture Polish" from 99 cent store.  Use it like a spray wax after car wash and wipe down/light buff with microfiber towel.  Also works on headlight covers and car interior, but not recommended for new/nice cars.

 

[noMoneyBackin2011]

IMO this is similar to the other problem I'm illustrating with regards to renting out a room: people initially ask/do something very reasonable, and then the crazies backlash and automatically assume an extreme (i.e. pedo-van posted as what *will* happen if people can park on a driveway).

My understanding was always that these rules are in place so that an abuser, or someone who DOES push it to the extreme, can be punished. 
However, ordinary owners parking in their driveways should be ignored even if its in the CC&R unless there are major issues (i.e. car is being worked on for weeks at a time without any clean up, a true pedo-van is sitting there).

Now I hope I live somewhere reasonable where the talk of the community isn't constantly about HOA-nazis pursuing people.

 

[daedalus]

Wait, we're being trolled, right? 

"I like HOAs because they make the neighborhood look nice, but boo-hoo, the silly HOA has the nerve to ask me to park my vehicles in my garage instead of in my driveway.  What's up with that???"

Thanks for your post but you forgot to add that I also included "up to some extent"....  Our neighborhood looks nice and we have HOAs and for the most part, they do an excellent job but when I said "up to some extent", this is one of them.. I don't get why I can't park a car on the driveway. I don't see that as a "negative" when looking at the neighborhood.

That's exactly what I mean.  The extent being at which point it becomes inconvenient for you.  Kind of like what George Carlin said about driving.  You're a perfect driver, and everyone who drives slower than you is an idiot, and everyone who drives faster than you is an asshole.    Regardless of what you think about yours or anyone elses's driving, it's the posted speed limit that really matters.

You did sign up to the CC&Rs when you bought there, right?  Signed your name saying you agreed and would abide by them?

 

[kitkat01]

Your comparing this to a speed limit is totally different. Speed limit is a a law that everyone should know and abide to. My scenario about what HOA is asking us to do about cleaning out garage to park our car inside the garage is an HOA rule. And yes, I did sign the CC&R when we bought the property. And that is why I came to this forum to ask my questions if by law, they are allowed to do that because there are some HOA rules with some HOAs that it's just a rule that they try to impose to residents but if taken to court, HOA will not win. That's why I went to this forum to ask. I didn't come here to look for an argument, and I'm simply asking questions looking for answers. No need to be rude to people coming in here asking questions and calling them names. We're all adult here trying to help each other look for answers. If you're just going to be rude and calling people names, I don't need your answer on my post. This is not facebook for god sake! Thank you very much!

For the others, thanks for your kind answers. much appreciated!

 

[jmoney74]

KitKat.. I will help you move your large golden nugget.  Just let me scrape off some of it.

 

[Burn That Belly]

x

 

[peppy]

You can clean some oil stains on the driveway with WD40 then dish soap.

Nah. Just put down an old sheet of plywood and park over it. That's the look to go with those clunkers.

 

[kitkat01]

kitkat, I apologize on behalf of TI members. After TI members get their morning dose of caffeine, they become internet bullys.  ;D

The beasts prowl the streets of TI in the mornings but rest assured by days end, the panda and koala bears do come out and play.

JMoney74 and Burth That Belly... you guys are funny! Thanks.

 

[daedalus]

kitkat, I apologize on behalf of TI members. After TI members get their morning dose of caffeine, they become internet bullys.  ;D

The beasts prowl the streets of TI in the mornings but rest assured by days end, the panda and koala bears do come out and play.

Is that all it takes to be a bully nowadays?  Calling people out for not taking responsibility for themselves and their actions?    My response in person would be the same as what I wrote.

And no apologies needed on my behalf.  I honestly would have preferred that we were being trolled. 

 

[Ready2Downsize]

English is funny - we park on driveways and drive on parkways  ;D

We don't want stains on our driveway so we've never parked on the driveway. If we can't fit both cars in the garage (like we r working on a project) we park on the street. If we had a bigger than 2 car garage we wouldn't need to move a car out for a project but it is what it is.

You can clean some oil stains on the driveway with WD40 then dish soap.

Side note for others -- if you have old clunkers in the driveway and want to make them look nice, try Lemon Scented "Rinso Furniture Polish" from 99 cent store.  Use it like a spray wax after car wash and wipe down/light buff with microfiber towel.  Also works on headlight covers and car interior, but not recommended for new/nice cars.

Took out the driveway and replaced it so not sure your can of spray will work and even if it did........ "most" stains isn't good enough for me. A stained driveway is butt ugly.