Apartment Parking

[happiergnome]

I'm new here, please be gentle.

I see a lot of discussion about store parking and street parking, looking for parking restriction signs, some even suggested hospitals to use parking garages, and even quite a few suggestions of being in between two houses on the street so both homes think it's the neighbors.  I've also watched hours of youtube and not seen it mentioned.

This may only be a big city thing but where I live and work there are over 200 apartment complexes within a 15 minute drive of my work and close to 30 of those are on the same street.  Most aren't gated, even fewer have security, and outside of the real upscale places with garages built into the actual building - there are no designated parking spots. 

Obviously full size RV's wouldn't have the same access but what about the incognito van dwellers? 

Almost every apartment I have driven through since I started paying attention for van parking has "side lots" that the 2nd and 3rd story apartments don't hang over to see your solar panels or roof vents, or the fact that you pulled up and parked and never got out.  You would never be "out of place" since it's 100s of people living in the same square mile and parking in different spots every day.  The offices often don't open until 8am or 9am so if you were out in the morning there would be zero chance of the staff knowing you were ever there and they're obviously not going to be driving around checking license plates considering someone could have just spent the night at a friends house or whatever. 

There was one mention of it in one of Bob's posts (i think!) that said "Apartment's are great" and that was that.  Is it just obviously great or obviously terrible and I'm slow witted?  Please help me.

 

[RVTravel]

It could work. Make sure they also do not have parking permits for the cars. Some do. If there is street parking at the apartments even better since that may not be private property. Police driving by will look for activity in the cars so stealth is important.

 

[John61CT]

Certainly more appropriate in areas where there are *enough* parking spots. Or ideally, too many, as is often the case in (few rare) suburbs with good public transportation.

 

[lenny flank]

Yep, I've done it on occasion. Apartment complexes always have visitors coming and going, so a "strange" vehicle isn't really noticed.

As with any stealth parking, don't stay long and don't go there often.

 

[DLTooley]

I’d think on average apt parking lots are watched more closely than others.

 

[LadyJo]

Just a few things about parking at apartment complexes.
Maintenance people, groundskeepers often start at 7 or 8 am. Only stay one night, people going to work will notice a strange car/van if it is there more than 1 or 2 nights in a row. Park after 8pm when just about everyone who lives there is already home, just because the space is not assigned doesn't mean someone isn't using it each evening. Always pick a complex with 100+ units, easier to not stand out as a "new" van. A fairly full parking lot will be easier to blend into than a mostly empty one. New tenants usually move in on the 1st or the 15th, so strange cars/vans are noticed as quickly.

 

[John61CT]

Anyone trying to be stealthy should be well gone before anyone's stirring, never mind 7am

 

[LadyJo]

Just a few things about parking at apartment complexes.
Maintenance people, groundskeepers often start at 7 or 8 am. Only stay one night, people going to work will notice a strange car/van if it is there more than 1 or 2 nights in a row. Park after 8pm when just about everyone who lives there is already home, just because the space is not assigned doesn't mean someone isn't using it each evening. Always pick a complex with 100+ units, easier to not stand out as a "new" van. A fairly full parking lot will be easier to blend into than a mostly empty one. New tenants usually move in on the 1st or the 15th, so strange cars/vans are noticed as quickly.

Should be "aren't noticed".

Also, if you have a 1998 van and the lot is full of 2015 or newer SUVs, find someplace else.

 

[Morris deCat]

Hi folks,

When you pull into a city, look (google) "apartment complex". Check one/some out. Explore the city, go to dinner...whatever. Go back at 10pm when the main office is closed and park squarely in front of the main office so that God and everyone can see you.
If someone happens to ask what you are doing, just say you got into town earlier than you had planned and are waiting for the office to open
to see a demo apartment.

At 7 am before the office staff arrives, hit the happy trails to the next destination.

 

[velojym]

During a time when I made the mistake of living in an apartment, unfamiliar vehicles in the lots would immediately be noticed, and residents would ask each other if they knew whose it was. If nobody knew, frequently the more busybody types would call in a cop to run the plates and see if they could see inside.
I've had more vehicle break-ins in apartment parking lots than just about anywhere else. Lost two bicycles, a camera, and a few other things that way. Folks crowded into 'people drawers' get kinda antsy about it. I personally would avoid apartment complexes in most areas.

YMMV, of course.

 

[Reducto]

It varies tremendously depending on the neighborhood and how the place is run. In a larger lot with plenty of extra parking and no security you could probably stay in the same spot for months without being noticed. In others a busybody onsite manager might call the cops right away.

Is street parking allowed where you live? I have always had the best luck parking across the street from apartments. You aren't subject to the complex's parking restrictions and you will just look like someone's extra vehicle.

 

[MrNoodly]

...there are no designated parking spots....

Wow, I've never encountered that. I'm guessing that if there aren't designated spaces there's at least a sticker residents have to display.

 

[John61CT]

Outside of densely populated areas lots of jurisdictions require developers put in crazy lots of parking ratio per bedroom, way more than the residents will ever need.

Even where public transport options abound.

 

[happiergnome]

Hi folks,

When you pull into a city, look (google) "apartment complex". Check one/some out. Explore the city, go to dinner...whatever. Go back at 10pm when the main office is closed and park squarely in front of the main office so that God and everyone can see you.
If someone happens to ask what you are doing, just say you got into town earlier than you had planned and are waiting for the office to open
to see a demo apartment.

At 7 am before the office staff arrives, hit the happy trails to the next destination.

This sounds like really great advice!  

During a time when I made the mistake of living in an apartment, unfamiliar vehicles in the lots would immediately be noticed, and residents would ask each other if they knew whose it was. If nobody knew, frequently the more busybody types would call in a cop to run the plates and see if they could see inside.
I've had more vehicle break-ins in apartment parking lots than just about anywhere else. Lost two bicycles, a camera, and a few other things that way. Folks crowded into 'people drawers' get kinda antsy about it. I personally would avoid apartment complexes in most areas.

YMMV, of course.

I've lived in apartments and condos etc my entire life.  I could count on one hand the number of times a neighbor has spoken to me.  That's a total of 3 different cities so it's not a wide spread thing but two were small and one was (is) big.  I also have only ever had one car break in and it was an ex girlfriend's ex/new again boyfriend drama nonsense.  

It varies tremendously depending on the neighborhood and how the place is run. In a larger lot with plenty of extra parking and no security you could probably stay in the same spot for months without being noticed. In others a busybody onsite manager might call the cops right away.

Is street parking allowed where you live? I have always had the best luck parking across the street from apartments. You aren't subject to the complex's parking restrictions and you will just look like someone's extra vehicle.

No street parking at all unless you're downtown which is no overnight parking.  I honestly believe that I could probably park in the same complex in the same spot for months on end.  I don't know who drives half of the cars in front of my secluded building as it is and ONLY these three buildings residents park in front of it.  That's still 3 hallways, 3 story tall buildings, 4 apartments per floor, so 36 apartments worth of people and who knows how many cars?  I pay attention and have been here 2 years, I recognize some of the cars certainly but don't know who the people are and the people i do recognize i don't know what apartment they're in outside of the ones in my hallway (not building).

Wow, I've never encountered that. I'm guessing that if there aren't designated spaces there's at least a sticker residents have to display.

I've never had an apartment or condo that required stickers.  One had a gate but it was ALWAYS broken.  I also have always driven junkers so I rarely had the same vehicle the entire time I lived in a place and never registered the new tag or anything with the office.  All I've ever seen done is drive bys to make sure the registration stickers are current.

--

This is all Florida experience and I know how much people love to joke about Florida but I just want to be clear that I'm not saying my experiences are standard or even common. That said, I've lived at both the south and north end of the state and in both small and big cities and it's the same for me.  Yes, some complexes have key cards, I've seen vehicles with stickers, I've heard of break ins in apartment parking lots, etc etc but I've lived in easily 20 different apartments and condos since I was a young child and have never had the experiences you all are sharing?  Maybe it is just Florida living up to the reputation of being abnormal.

 

[ColdBrook]

I would be very leary of parking at apt buildings.  I used to work in some and the on site maintenance kept close watch for anyone trying to park there without permission.  I also threw people out who tried to park at one building's lot on their lunch hour "meetup".  The parking sites were very limited and they thought they could hide a car there while they were off in the other person's car.  So I don't try to boondock at apt buildings parking lots.  Remember they are private property and you can be towed and end up with trespassing charges.  Try street parking where it's actually legal.

 

[deadwood]

Rule number one of stealth parking...

Don't park in private parking lots. Now I'm not saying I haven't ever broken rule number one. But I do everything I can not to. I have a few times stayed a short night in a hotel parking lot. I think you would be less noticeable there then in an apartment. But even a lot of hotels have security that patrols the lot.

I haven't been anywhere that with a little effort I couldn't find some place to legally park on the street. As long as it does not have no parking posted nearby then street parking is legal and you won't have to worry about getting a knock on the door from security or have a worried neighbor calling the police. It is just so easy to avoid this in the first place.

Of course when I say find a spot on the street that does not mean in front of someones house. Just look for a spot that you won't draw attention to yourself and you'll be fine. As I type this I am parked on the streets of Philadelphia. I'm on a street at the end of a bunch of row houses but not close to anyones house. Lots of cars and some work trucks park down here so I just blend in.

 

[bullfrog]

We "rented" a parking space at an apartment complex from some college students who lived in the apartment but didn't own a car in Flagstaff. Left our old truck and camper in an assigned spot for weeks.

 

[John61CT]

Yes, private property **with permission** is the ultimate. Still want to be discreet of course. . .