Payment for parking a handicapped equiped vehicle

In the past, we have been able to park the vehicle utilized to transport my handicapped husband for various reasons. We have now been advised that we must pay for a parking space. Although we will supposedly be moved to the head of the parking quece, we must pay for a parking space. I would prefer to park the vehicle in the garage (we have had to repair the lift 3 times due to vandalism), the vehicle with the wheelchair lift is too long to fit into the garage. It was my understandng that parking was free with a handicap placard except for red, yellow and white zones. Is there anything we can do?

Ask why the change in policy first. Is your HOA having financial difficulties? Is there a change in the parking spaces? Something has changed and may not only be handicap spaces. Is the spot considered assigned parking if not in a garage or driveway? What is that setup?

Before suing, find out the details and then address your specific issue. It could be they trying to meet ADA standards but need to raise the money to do so. The HOA is only funded by it's members for it's members. May be a way to do some work.

Rebecca:

Time to play twenty questions:

Are you in a condo?

What are the dimensions of the garage with the door closed?

What kind of vehicle? (I am assuming that you have a sedan with some sort of lift device on the rear.)

Does your husband use a wheel chair or some sort of scooter?

Does the lift fold up when it is not carrying the wheelchair/scooter?

Is purchasing a shorter vehicle or a different lifting device an option?

How much too long is your vehicle now?

Do you have a driveway in front of your garage where you could park?

Is parking the car in the garage and leaving the garage door open or partially closed an option?

Would it be possible to "push" the front wall of the garage forward a few feet to make room for your vehicle?

My understanding of the Fair Housing Act is that the association must make a reasonable accomodation for a handicapped person but the association may demand that any alterations be done at the handicapped person's expense.

Are you in a condo?
They can it a 'planned unit development" but it is duplexs with a common area.

What are the dimensions of the garage with the door closed?
I don't know the dimensions of the garage just that the Towncar fit in the garage without the lift and now is too long to fit.

What kind of vehicle? (I am assuming that you have a sedan with some sort of lift device on the rear.)
It is a Lincoln Towncar - we have a Ford Thunderbird, but my husband complained that it drove like a truck (not true, but...)

Does your husband use a wheel chair or some sort of scooter?
He has an electric whexeelchair.

Does the lift fold up when it is not carrying the wheelchair/scooter?
Yes, the lift folds up, but is still too long.

Is purchasing a shorter vehicle or a different lifting device an option?
My husband is 87 with Parkinsons, broke his hip 2 yrs ago and walks with get difficulty. Not wishing anything would happen to him, but given everything time is not on our side. I really don't want to incur the additional expense of a new car at this time

How much too long is your vehicle now?
It is about 2 feet too long

Do you have a driveway in front of your garage where you could park?
No driveway or I would park it there.

Is parking the car in the garage and leaving the garage door open or partially closed an option?
No according to the CC&Rs garage doors must be closed at all times

Would it be possible to "push" the front wall of the garage forward a few feet to make room for your vehicle?
Yes, we could move the wall between the garage and the house back three feet which would leave me with a laundry room of about 2 feet.

My understanding of the Fair Housing Act is that the association must make a reasonable accomodation for a handicapped person but the association may demand that any alterations be done at the handicapped person's expense.
I understand that if I wanted to add a ramp to the front door it would be at our expense. However, removing a wall; removing the concrete pad under the flooring and then leaving me with unusable seems extreme when parking in a space 15 feet from my front door is all I am asking. It would be easier to park in the garage and avoid the vandalism and the need for a locking gascap, but there isn't room. Frankly, it would be just as easy to extend the garage from the garage door out, but that would change the outside of the unit and would require moving the drainage dip on the curbing.

Now the real solution is just to give in and pay them the money for a reserved parking space. Which at this point seems the only altenate. I am not going to keep the Towncar after my husband is gone. It isn't a long term situation which everyone is aware of, maybe a year at most.