Wedding Woes

Management companies exist for a reason.

Dear Prudence,

I live in a townhouse across the street from a high school in a college town with a pretty strong town-and-gown atmosphere. Our street gets the usual bump in traffic at the start and end of the school day, but other than that it’s not even noticed. However, since this school year has started, we’ve had an issue with high school students parking and hanging out in our complex’s lot (the high school has its own large lot).

Hanging out isn’t an issue—I remember being a teenager and thinking standing around anywhere was fine as long as it wasn’t my house. But the parking is really causing a problem. The lot usually has plenty of spots for residents and then some, but now it’s almost completely full all day long. I’m on the college’s campus in the mornings and come home in the afternoons, and every day this semester I’ve had to park in the last available spot.

I could grit my teeth and deal with that, but there are also safety concerns. Our lot is one way, and they absolutely do not abide by that, driving both ways constantly once school lets out in the afternoon well into the evening, as well as speeding through the lot despite high pedestrian traffic.

Residents have parking passes in their car windows, and the lot is supposed to be monitored, so I figured that eventually one of the kids would get towed and they’d find a new spot, but it’s been several weeks now with no change. I’m absolutely not going to call the cops on these kids, almost all of whom are black, and I feel silly for getting annoyed over a parking lot, but I am worried that someone’s going to get hurt. I’m a 30-year-old uncool white lady, so I don’t feel confident that I could just talk to them and ask them to take their hang outs elsewhere. How can I restore parking peace?

— A Lot Happening in the Lot

Re: Management companies exist for a reason.

  • mrsconn23mrsconn23 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited September 2021
    I just don't get this LW.  It seems like they are wringing their hands because they don't want to come as 'uncool' to these kids, but they know this is BS behavior.  Either deal with it OR do something about it.  

    If *something* happens that causes a safety problem/injury/etc., it will be the fault of these kids and they will be dealt with accordingly.  

    LW should just call the management company and then be at peace that they did what they could do.  Also, I'm not even sure calling the cops would do anything since it's private property anyway.  They may come and shoo them away and then tell LW to call management.  So...just call them now? 
  • I don’t understand how people this passive survive. 
  • I don’t understand how people this passive survive. 
    Does she not pay rent to a management company??  FFS, call them and report the issue.  Say that THEIR failure to enforce the parking she pays for means that they aren't upholding their end of the lease agreement and she expects that they'll enforce the parking. 
  • banana468 said:
    I don’t understand how people this passive survive. 
    Does she not pay rent to a management company??  FFS, call them and report the issue.  Say that THEIR failure to enforce the parking she pays for means that they aren't upholding their end of the lease agreement and she expects that they'll enforce the parking. 
    I would call the first time it happened and every other time! I don’t get it at all. Complaining to my landlord is not something I mind doing at all. 
  • I can't believe someone wrote in to Prudie about this. 
  • banana468 said:
    I don’t understand how people this passive survive. 
    Does she not pay rent to a management company??  FFS, call them and report the issue.  Say that THEIR failure to enforce the parking she pays for means that they aren't upholding their end of the lease agreement and she expects that they'll enforce the parking. 
    I would call the first time it happened and every other time! I don’t get it at all. Complaining to my landlord is not something I mind doing at all. 
    Right.  And you can't tell me that you have rules and refuse to enforce them.   
  • I can't believe someone wrote in to Prudie about this. 
    IDK if this or the mail one is worse.  It's pretty much a tie, LOL. 
  • mrsconn23 said:
    I can't believe someone wrote in to Prudie about this. 
    IDK if this or the mail one is worse.  It's pretty much a tie, LOL. 
    Yeah, the mail one is equally pathetic. How do these people get anything accomplished in life?
  • also, it's amazing what an email to a principal will do.  That tends to be my default before the management co.  Although, knowing what I do, the co. would probably be a better choice
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