Parking in Contempo

Question 1: Can I be towed without notice on Contempo streets?

YES! The park meets the requirements for the state of California's Vehicle Code (CVC) which allows them to tow you from the streets at ANY time with no notice. The streets in Contempo are NOT public streets!

Question 2: Does Contempo patrol the courts?

YES! We can say cars on Yosemite get noticed much faster, but cars in courts have been towed.

Question 3: COULD Contempo tow me before 10pm?

YES! The 10pm time is a courtesy... they don't have to extend it. It's their land and they have proper signage which allows them to tow at any time.

Question 4: Can I get a guest pass for my guest?

YES! Go to the office before noon and / or email Richard and ask for a guest pass so your guest can park in the guest lot. ELS is not required to give these out and may decide for their own reasons NOT to offer guest passes at any time or to any one.

Question 5: What happens if my car is towed?

You have to call Downtown Ignacio Tow. They have been noted to be efficient, not damaged cars, returned them quickly and were considered pretty nice and sympathetic to residents who have had their car towed if you approach them with an understanding that they didn't make the rules to tow your car, the park and state made the rules. And it costs ~$400 if you go pick up your car the very next morning, first thing. YES it is a waste of money. YES your current HOA President, Steve Mays has been towed... TWICE for forgetting my car out front.

Address: 106 Galli Dr, Novato, CA 94949
Phone: (415) 883-6124

Question 6: How do I know where I can park without being towed?

For some houses there is an obvious awning / driveway on the side of the house. If it's about 1 car wide and about 2-3 cars long, it's LIKELY your designated parking space / driveway. For any house that doesn't have such a thing like a triple wide with a wide strip of concrete in the front for example, see Richard / Mylene in the office before noon on weekdays or make an appointment with Richard to review your space and determine where you should park.  DO NOT assume that concrete = ok place to park, go ask and be sure. ELS is not required to notice anyone before towing anywhere in the park at any time EXCEPT if you are in your designated parking space!

Question 7: It's not fair, I read / researched that cars must be NOTICED before towing!

Any other parking rules you might have read like CVC22651 are NOT valid when on private property! Private property is covered by CVC22658. "fun" that you get to learn all these new thing and YES it's confusing that there are 2 laws that look similar but cover public vs. private environments. However, courts indicate that "ignorance of the law is no excuse". 

There's TONS of information from apartment, condo, city parking lots, city streets and like places but remember you live in a UNIQUE place... we own the boxes on the land, the WHOLE rest of the land is private property and no matter what else you read, you can be assured that ONLY the MRL (section 798.28.5) and CVC22658 matter in our particular case.

"fair" is not something the courts recognize. "but my neighbor" will not get you out of paying the ~$400 to get your car out of the tow yard. Yelling at people at the tow yard REALLY won't save you any money, no matter how good it might make you feel.

Question 8: What are Mylene and Richard's Email Addresses?

Email addresses:
Mylene_McGinnis@equitylifestyle.com

Richard_Rivaldo@equitylifestyle.com

Question 9: Can you share links to / key sections of the laws that matter for parking in Contempo?

SURE! Your HOA's big mission is to defend and inform you of your rights and your OBLIGATIONS. It's not all about the rights, we are responsible to follow the laws as residents of the park. Your HOA will fight anything that's against the law, but we can't help where ELS is actually following the law.

Park Rules (Have not changed since 1993):

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1s4P0QLIltt3Q2Rg5hpI9rAe-KcXnXFLh

Click "ContempoRulesRegs.pdf"

California Vehicle Code or CVC:
CVC22658: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=22658.&lawCode=VEH

Here's a key section that explains the signage requirement that the park has before they can tow vehicles. Your HOA went and measured the signage, it meets CVC requirements. CVC22658(a)(1) covers this
Signage requirements

===

22658.  

(a) The owner or person in lawful possession of private property, including an association of a common interest development, as defined in Sections 4080 and 4100 or Sections 6528 and 6534 of the Civil Code, may cause the removal of a vehicle parked on the property to a storage facility that meets the requirements of subdivision (n) under any of the following circumstances:

(1) There is displayed, in plain view at all entrances to the property, a sign not less than 17 inches by 22 inches in size, with lettering not less than one inch in height, prohibiting public parking and indicating that vehicles will be removed at the owner’s expense, and containing the telephone number of the local traffic law enforcement agency and the name and telephone number of each towing company that is a party to a written general towing authorization agreement with the owner or person in lawful possession of the property. The sign may also indicate that a citation may also be issued for the violation.

===

Mobile Home Residency Law or MRL Parking Section:
https://mhphoa.com/mrl/html#CC-798-28-5

Here's a key section that explains the park can tow anywhere in the park at any time, for any reason, EXCEPT if you are parked in your designated parking space / driveway. There are other exceptions that you should familiarize yourself with.

===

798.28.5(b)(1)

Management may not cause the removal of a vehicle from a homeowner’s or resident’s driveway or a homeowner’s or resident’s designated parking space except if management has first posted on the windshield of the vehicle a notice stating management’s intent to remove the vehicle in seven days and stating the specific park rule that the vehicle has violated that justifies its removal.

===

NOTE: The street is not your driveway / designated parking space, parking on concrete does not = SAFE. Schedule an appointment with Richard or go to the office before noon and KNOW what your designated parking space is to be protected from tow without notice per the MRL.