Orchard Hills Apartment - Garage Inspection

NEW -> Contingent Buyer Assistance Program
anela_IHB

anela_IHB

New member
gotta love TIC - complex is pretty empty and yet "In an effort to continue providing an outstanding living environment, all residents are asked to do their part in maintaining the aesthetic and functional appeal of this community."



so - they will be entering the garages "to ensure that your garage is not being used solely for storage purposes." followed with a little reminder of the parking policy and "On a recent tour of the community, we observed many vehicles tht appeared to be stored in our open parking spaces."



with the cars parked out in the open it at least looks like the place is inhabited.



go TIC :P
 
<blockquote>so - they will be entering the garages ?to ensure that your garage is not being used solely for storage purposes.?</blockquote>


I hear what you are saying--especially if the place is half empty, why bother.



Though I must say, I used to live at another IAC property where they mostly had single garages and I was left to wander the parking lot for a space every day (my wife took our garage space). It is quite frustrating after a long day at work only to find every space gone except the one at the far end of the lot. No one bothers to park in their assigned garage due to storage, ping pong, pool, TV room, workshop etc...



Also sadly I have actually seen a CLS Mercedes sit like a junker in the prime parking spot in front of my old building for over a month straight with its low profile tires completely flat. It wasn't moved until someone from management put a notice on the car.
 
This is a constant issue at IAC complexes due to the designed parking densities and uneven enforcement of the rules. I am on TIC's side on this one, but history shows they don't really crack down on the "finds" during inspections, so I'll be suprised if it has any teeth.



These communities are not designed for everyone to use their garage for storage, and it is a significant negative externality to those that do park a car in their garage and still can't find a convenient place to park their second car.



Essentially, anyone using their garage properly (for a car) is subsidizing those that use theirs for storage. I don't support that.



SCHB
 
this is not only an issue in the IAC communities but all neighborhoods. it seems a huge waste of HOAs and the police's time and money (ultimately our time and money) to deal with parking-related problems which could be partially solved by simply getting more parked cars into their garages.



is it often overly-restrictive and annoying? sure, but so are taxes. we should just get over it. we choose to live here and agreed to our lease restrictions and CCR's.
 
We have garage inspections at our IAC complex every year or so, and I fully support IAC in this effort.



The frustrating thing is that IAC (and their worthless Brinks security patrol) don't enforce their own parking policies. Every night I diligently squeeze into my single car garage, careful not to bump the piles of beach equipment, golf clubs, and other assorted crap arranged almost in the shape of a Honda Accord. Then I walk right past an entire row of cars which have no parking pass on the way to my front door --- most belonging to people I know use their garage for storage. But yet I wake up every morning and those same cars are parked there, never with a ticket from the security patrol. I don't really know what Brinks does, or why IAC even bothers with policies it does not enforce.
 
i'm just laughing at all this because the parking lot is empty, the buildings are empty. i'm sure parking will be a problem in the future but the only problem with it now is trying to decide out of the 32 available spots near me, which one do i want to park in each night. trust me, i don't duke it out with the 10 other vehciles over the "prime" stalls. i haven't used my garage because only 4 units in my building are occupied, there are 18 units in the building next to me - only 4 of them are rented. i'm a considerate person and will use it if the place starts filling up but until then i'll park outside. i'm curious to see if the way i have items stored in my garage is acceptable to them, i admit that aesthetics were not my primary concern when i placed items in there.



what it boils down to is i really don't like these couched blanket "inspections" because they don't want to single out specific renters. if they're driving a perspective renter around in their little golf carts and observe the garage stuffed to the gills why don't they approach that tenant directly to address the problem? i'm sure the guy with the dead animal heads hanging from the walls of his garage must be killing them.



i know about TIC and the keeping up appearances policy and i actually read that beasty lease before i signed so i don't have a problem with these things - i'm a very tidy person :)
 
i?m a considerate person and will use it if the place starts filling up but until then i?ll park outside.



i'm sure you are, but my guess is every resident will say that... and when it gets more crowded, you will be the only one that sticks to their word.
 
[quote author="CK" date=1212103813]... I don't really know what Brinks does, or why IAC even bothers with policies it does not enforce.</blockquote>


I've pondered this same question and have a few theories:



1. Selectively-enforced rules actually provide IAC greater power over their complexes than well-enforced rules. It allows them to get rid of squeaky wheels or any other deemed troublemakers for reasons that they chose to overlook in other residents. This is a sublte but powerful method of potential discrimination, and they go to great lengths to preserve it. If you read your IAC lease carefully, there is language that says something to the effect of "IAC cannot be held liable for sticking it to <em>you</em> while not enforcing (clear violations of) lease clauses on other residents." I'll try to dig up the real language if anyone is interested.



2. Many of the residents that use the garages for storage are completely dependent upon this space (often those coming from homes) and if forced to chose, may leave or not renew. IAC is all about keeping occupancy percentages very high so that rents don't fall, and they may have calculated that it is a smaller hit to have some disgruntled residents pissed about abuse of parking, with a small fraction of them leaving, than the many who are abusing the priviledge that would be more likley to bail upon strong enforcement and eventually push down rents.



FYI, the self-storage rental equivalent of a one-car garage is about $250/mo in Irvine. It's no wonder your neighbors are taking advantage of your generosity!



SCHB
 
Very astute observations, SCHB --- and I'll bet you this crappy Lean Cusine sitting in front of me that you are right on.



I'd say if you can't beat them, join them --- and just start parking outside. But being a total OCD clean freak, I'd then blow countless extra $$ at the Harvard Place car wash. So alas, I'll just keep tripping over my beach umbrella every time I get out of the car in the garage....
 
The last apartment I had on a 9 month lease, I stored boxes in the garage instead of a car, and the leasing office never gave me a hard time but fortunately at Orchard Hills I can store a lot of boxes and also park my two cars (the two car garages with independent doors are extra-long, fairly wide and a real luxury for apartments). Thank goodness for two car garages. No way could we manage with only a one car garage. But it is strange to hear about the garage inspections. The complex is only 2/3 leased and the parking lot is never more than half full.
 
One of the neighbors in my IAC rental actually had a pool table setup in the garage. During the weekends, they would leave their garage door open and actively shoot pool there. Mind you, these guys have 3 cars that are parked outside every night.
 
They need to worry about those damm birds before they worry about the parking situation. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks they released those birds in order to force us to park inside, what a sht storm.
 
Before buying a property, I'd always drive there after hours to check on the parking situation. Like it or not, the residents here are anti-mass transit system and we're stuck with driving our cars (black hole on 4 wheels). Spending a lot of time circling your complex looking for a parking space after work is not fun. If you went through the college apartment days with 1 assigned parking and 3 roommates (everyone with cars), you'd know what I mean.



Apartments can at least enforce garage inspections. Try doing that in private residential HOA's, LoL.





[quote author="interloper" date=1212124676]They need to worry about those damm birds before they worry about the parking situation. The conspiracy theorist in me thinks they released those birds in order to force us to park inside, what a sht storm.</blockquote>


It's not the bird's fault that you parked under a tree.
 
[quote author="momopi" date=1212125092]



It's not the bird's fault that you parked under a tree.</blockquote>


We have a considerable flock of swallows that have decided to make our buildings their nests, i'd say they number a good 100 to 150 birds. It gets to the point where you have to run to your car so you don't get sht on.
 
The letter about the garage inspection at OH says cars that are parked outside and aren't moved in three days will be towed, and this policy will be strictly enforced. The person at the leasing office says they are doing this because the parking lot situation is seriously overcrowded. Is he nuts? The parking lot looks half full to me. Does it look overcrowded to anyone else? What about people in one car garages with two people with cars, one has to be parked outside and say they carpool together during the week, is that car parked outside going to be towed? Does anyone else at OH think this parking policy is nuts?
 
Even within the IAC empire, I think the strictness of the policy varies depending on how acute the problem is (parking densities vary between complexes) and the priorities or personality of the complex manager.



The need to not have people storing their cars outside is reasonable, regardless of the current capacity. If you notify them of a vacation, they won't tow your car. So I don't think the policy is completely out of line.



The reality is they don't patrol this particularly well at most complexes, and if a problem arises, there is evidence they make a sincere attempt to contact the vehicle owner before a tow. But, as I mentioned above, the policy says they have the <em>right</em> to tow without notification, and that is the dangerous part of inconsistently enforced rules.



At my complex a vehicle sat in one parking spot for over 4 months without moving. It honestly appeared abandoned. One day, it moved about 6 spots away and now has been sitting there for almost 3 months.



The lesson is, your mileage may vary. It helps to have non-distinct model and color vehicles.



SCHB
 
I would gladly let them into our garage as part of that policy...I don't live in an apartment but in a condo, and there is a serious parking problem. Here the phenomenon of 1 car in a two car garage and the other side loaded with crap is rampant.



Granted, there are two-car garages here and not just 1-car. But it's contributed to a major parking problem when *many* people are using half their garage for storage and taking up the few parking spaces outside.



Again, different problem when the neighborhood is half empty, but it's probably worth it in the long run to keep parking under control, since it is a big issue in a lot of complexes. I know of ppl who live in a townhouse community (owned) and they are psycho with parking, but guess what: Plenty of parking spaces.
 
[quote author="interloper" date=1212131556][quote author="momopi" date=1212125092]



It's not the bird's fault that you parked under a tree.</blockquote>


We have a considerable flock of swallows that have decided to make our buildings their nests, i'd say they number a good 100 to 150 birds. It gets to the point where you have to run to your car so you don't get sht on.</blockquote>


If this is a specie of swallows that produce edible bird nest, they can fetch up to $2,000 per kg. Might want to have a look at their nesting sites. One time I was driving along the I-5 and saw lots of swallow nests on a freeway overpass, and instantly thought $_$ jackpot...



<img src="http://static.flickr.com/56/150388021_27ec9ded5d.jpg" alt="" />





DISCLAIMER: Not all bird nests are edible. Distributing bird nests may be illegal in your city/county/state.
 
momopi - glad to see your disclaimer. i thought i saw huell howser do a thing on the swallows once and they stated you couldn't disturb a swallows nest, i'm too lazy to call fish and game.



speaking or wildlife at OH - all the baby toads. feel bad for the ones that are getting squished by cars because they're too small to hop back up the curbs. since they're noctural we've been picking them up and putting them back in the vegetated area at night when we see them. i know it's an exercise in futility but they're really cute.



still don't understand the parking issue but i'm on the end near the shopping center and it's still at least 3/4's empty. maybe the northern end is the problem? i do know that some people are parked along the curb on the main road near my gate - and they're not designated parking stalls, when they're all parked along this stretch it does look crowded.
 
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