HOA wants to access fines my vehicle not being parked in m garage

Hello
I'm in a spot and not so sure what to do .
Here's my situation:

I have received a letter from my HOA stating that I am in violation of their parking policy and I need to address it ASAP or fines will be access and/or towing of my vehicle. However I don't believe I am violating their policy. What is my best course of action

First off I've been renting a condo from my landlord with the HOA's approval and am not the actual homeowner.
Secondly the condo has a once car garage.

I did receive this letter addressed to the current resident of the condo (me) stating that and I quote:

" It has been brought to the Management's attention that the occupants are not using their garage to park their vehicle.

Please refer to the (insert complex name here) Condominium Rules and Regulations where it states: " Garages are to be used for the purpose of parking the owner's vehicles. An owner's vehicle shall not b kept elsewhere on the property when their garage is available." The ules go on to state: " All homeowners vehicles are to be garaged. Overnight guests or a second vehicle may park in front of the garage or the units one designated visitor parking space. A third vehicle cannot be parked on the premises.

Violators to the rules and regulations are subject to monetary fines etc etc etc. Parking violations are subject to towing of the vehicle without warning at the owner's expense."

The letter goes on to say that If there is only one vehicle belonging to the occupant it must be parked in the garage. If there are two vehicles belonging to the occupants 1 must be parked in the garage and the other must be parked behind the garage ( the driveway) or in the designated parking area across from the building. Three vehicle are not allowed.

Here the background story:
There are 16 units in the complex. Each unit has 6 condos

Before going further I must admit that I do own 3 vehicles and I am the only one in my unit who does. So does other people in other units in the complex as well.
Unfortunately I have a very cranky lady living under me and who has the garage stall adjacent to mine who is not so sociable and just does not like me. I suppose it started because of a Super Bowl party I hosted 3 years ago where one of my guests parked in her visitors spot. I did receive a warning notice about that and since then have not hosted any parties whatsoever so as not to be in violation.
I, my fiancee and my daughter made multiple attempts to be nice, say hi etc. but she would not respond to our overtures and as such we have deemed it best just to leave her alone.

A couple of months ago I got my first violation notice in 3 years because I have 3 vehicles. I used to park one in my garage at all times, leave one in front of the garage ( tandem parking ) and park the third in my assigned visitors spot however she complained and I have since moved my third vehicle to an offsite storage location. While trying to plead my case I did bring to the attention of the HOA via email with pictures included multiple neighbors with three cars however nothing was done because I refused to lodge a formal complaint against them just because my neighbor has a problem with me. It still rubs me raw but I've learned to live with it as I have no problems with them and don't want to be spiteful.

With the 2 vehicles I have left ( a lifted Chevrolet Avalanche and an Audi A4) I have tried to make do as best as I can. I usually park the Audi in the garage and leave the Avalanche out in front of the garage with the visitors spot empty however it is a hassle because due to the smaller engine size and fuel economy the Audi is my primary vehicle. Thus I have to move the bigger truck every morning and night to get the Audi out and put it back in as because of it's size and the lift, the truck can barely fit. During the course of the day I do park the Audi in my visitor's spot so as not to have to move the truck every single time to go out and yes some nights I leave the Audi parking outside but not every night.

Since my fiancee and I commute to work in one vehicle to take advantage of the HOV lane, my Avalanche sits at home all day and rarely gets used until the weekends or heavy snowstorms during the winter.

Unfortunately my neighbor now seems to have a problem with that and has made multiple reports against me yet again as she complains that I should move the Avalanche into the garage and leave the Audi out or at least park my Avalanche in the garage every day before going to work. Apparently it turns out that due to its size even though its in my driveway it still offends her so she has concocted the story that my garage is left empty at all times and my vehicles stay outside.

Do I have a leg to stand on here?
Also what would be my best course of action?

I have read the bylaws and it is exactly as stated in the letter. However since I am parking in front of my garage and/or parking my second vehicle in my assigned visitor's spot at all times why am I considered in violation? Who's making the determination that I don't park in my garage at all and use it as storage only?

To make matters even more complicated there are even more families in the complex who have 2 vehicles and all the other units have at least 2 or 3 owners with their vehicles parked similarly to the way I park mine. There are even folks with one vehicle who use their garage for storage and keep the other vehicle outside which I have submitted pictures of to the HOA but because their neighbors don't complain and I won't lodge a formal complaint against them, they're not considered to be in violation.

I've talked to my landlord and he belated told me that was the reason his previous tenant left. There was always some complain or the other from this particular lady. He understands my plight and does not have a problem with my parking however he states that whatever fines are levied onto him, he would pass on to me. There is also the issue of my vehicle potentially getting towed as well.

Any advise?

Thanks for the quick response. I only referenced the 3rd vehicle for background info. . I mentioned that I moved the third vehicle off the property. I pay for a public storage where it is now beng stored. My third vehicle has not been in the property for the past 3 months. I only have 2 vehicles on he property as of this complaint.

Elliot

After reading the violation letter, which includes the pertinent section of the rules, I stand corrected.

As long as one car is parked in the garage, you have the option of the driveway or your assigned visitors spot.

Having read the letter, I wish to amend my suggestion:

1) Park the 2nd vehicle in the garage during the day.

The rules seem to be clear about that. If the garage is available to park a vehicle in, then you need to park a vehicle in it first, then park in the driveway.

Vehicle in front of garage

You, as a mere resident, as opposed to an actual owner, are NOT a member of the association.

Tell the BOD to 'pound sand' and only contact the owner/member. POLITELY

You had best have one vehicle IN THE GARAGE before parking a second 'outside'.

... and be prepared to NOT renew the lease

Take a picture showing one car in the garage and one parked in front.
Send that to the Association and specify that you are using the garage for a vehicle. The truck will not fit in the garage which is why it's outside during the day. However, as you can see by the picture, you utilize the garage.

Remember to be polite in the letter.

Elliot,

The crux of the problem in my eyes is that the owner of your property converted the one-car garage to a partial-car garage by installing shelving along the walls. Despite your contrary claim, the garage is being used partially for storage and not exclusively for parking, as your CC&R's seem to require. Yes, your truck will fit inside but you cannot open the door to exit the vehicle because of the shelves.

You might want to make a complaint against your owner since it makes it impossible to comply with the association's parking policy or you could just remove some or all of the shelving and deal with the owner later.

This also brings up another point I forgot to mention previously.

Prior to me parking my second vehicle (the Avalanche) in front of the garage I used to park it in my designated visitor's spot opposite the garage as it made it easier to just get in my Audi, open the garage door in the mornings and drive off to where I had to go. Also when I cam home I could just as easily drive up and park in the garage without hassle. I can only assume that the same lady filed a complaint alleging that I was illegally parking in my vistor's spot.

I received an email from the landlord who had been contacted by the HOA about these allegations and I was told that I need to park my second vehicle in the driveway front of the garage and in front of the garage only. At the time he also advised me to call the HOA representative whose number he provided to hear it directly from the her. She told me specifically that I cannot park my second vehicle in my assigned visitor's spot and that I have to park it in front of my primary vehicle in the garage. When I expressed my displeasure due to the undo hardship it imposed upon me I was told that it was in the bylaws and I have to adhere to that.

Needles to say I've adhered to that for the last couple of months until this new complaint now alleging that I must move same vehicle from in the driveway and put it in the garage now.

Someone must really have a hard on for me.. Excuse my expression

As per Tim's excellent suggestion I took some photos of my vehicles today.
Audi in garage and Avalanche parked in front

Side shot. I'm not even going to worry about how wide the vehicle is at this point because the bottom line is it just won't fit under the opening.

My next worry is that someone will claim this should be classified as a truck ( as in a semi that pulls a trailer class truck) because the bylaws do not allow those on the property.

? Why not simply remove the roof rack from the truck (non destructively by a qualified dealer) and then park it in the garage ?

Read your lease agreement with your landlord. Make sure it has in it that you must follow the HOA's rules. Most landlords use an off the shelf form which does not have that included. It has to be written in your lease. If not, they can't evict you based on this.

You need to make sure the board understands you are a RENTER and NOT the owner. They can't hold you to their rules as you are NOT a member. Now your landlord/homeowner is responsible. So the HOA needed to convey this violation to your landlord NOT you directly. You should not be on the hook for these fines.

Good luck and take Tim's advice. He speaks wisely.