What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
Long story short.
Nine families bought homes through our city's first time homeowners program for low income families, and all of us moved into our houses within days of each other.
I am one of the middle lots. My neighbor to the right and the neighbor across from me both claim the parking spaces in front of their homes as "THEIR" property although the tract map CLEARLY shows that these spaces are common to our three lots. They disagreed aggressively when I showed them the tract map and told me that I had no right to park in the common area.
I contacted the real estate agent who sold these properties (on behalf of the City) but he wouldn't help. He kept avoiding me (I suppose he was hoping that it would basically just blow away) but it didn't. Since I didn't know what else to do, I decided to beat them at their own game. The tract map shows that I have no parking in front of my home. But because they were giving me grief over parking on "THEIR" property, I told them that they couldn't have everything THEIR way and that I would start parking in front of my door.
Naturally, this caused them a lot of anger and frustration. They told me that it was difficult for them to move their cars to and from their homes if my car sat outside my front door, that there was "easement" on my property, and that, per the tract map, that I was not allowed to park there. I laughed and told them that I understood where they were coming from but that if they needed this cleared up and if they were going to quote the tract map to me, then they needed to follow their own advice, grow up and "share" "THEIR" spots. Naturally, they won't.
Yesterday, another neighbor "did me a favor" and told me that they were getting their "paperwork" ready and that they were going to (a) contact the City (not sure what they expect the City to do) and (b) sue me in a civil court, in an attempt to both force me to revoke my right to the common area and to quit parking in front of my front door.
My question - I am willing to stop parking in front of my house if they will "share" the common area with me and would like to know how a court is LIKELY to rule in this situation. Can I be forced to give up my right to a common area?
To be very honest, I don't have the money to hire an attorney, so I'll be a sitting duck if they did take me to court. They know this and they want to bully me into buckling down to their demands.
Please help.
Long story short.
Nine families bought homes through our city's first time homeowners program for low income families, and all of us moved into our houses within days of each other.
I am one of the middle lots. My neighbor to the right and the neighbor across from me both claim the parking spaces in front of their homes as "THEIR" property although the tract map CLEARLY shows that these spaces are common to our three lots. They disagreed aggressively when I showed them the tract map and told me that I had no right to park in the common area.
I contacted the real estate agent who sold these properties (on behalf of the City) but he wouldn't help. He kept avoiding me (I suppose he was hoping that it would basically just blow away) but it didn't. Since I didn't know what else to do, I decided to beat them at their own game. The tract map shows that I have no parking in front of my home. But because they were giving me grief over parking on "THEIR" property, I told them that they couldn't have everything THEIR way and that I would start parking in front of my door.
Naturally, this caused them a lot of anger and frustration. They told me that it was difficult for them to move their cars to and from their homes if my car sat outside my front door, that there was "easement" on my property, and that, per the tract map, that I was not allowed to park there. I laughed and told them that I understood where they were coming from but that if they needed this cleared up and if they were going to quote the tract map to me, then they needed to follow their own advice, grow up and "share" "THEIR" spots. Naturally, they won't.
Yesterday, another neighbor "did me a favor" and told me that they were getting their "paperwork" ready and that they were going to (a) contact the City (not sure what they expect the City to do) and (b) sue me in a civil court, in an attempt to both force me to revoke my right to the common area and to quit parking in front of my front door.
My question - I am willing to stop parking in front of my house if they will "share" the common area with me and would like to know how a court is LIKELY to rule in this situation. Can I be forced to give up my right to a common area?
To be very honest, I don't have the money to hire an attorney, so I'll be a sitting duck if they did take me to court. They know this and they want to bully me into buckling down to their demands.
Please help.
Last edited: