Denver Condo Owner Getting a Snow Job from the Association!

K.A. from Denver, Colorado writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

Hello! My HOA piles all the snow from our parking lot directly behind my parking spot making my spot unusable until it melts, which can be 2 days or 2 weeks, depending on how much it has snowed and the temperature. My spot is deeded and I own that spot. They have said there is nowhere else to put the snow. I disagree; there are options but just not as convenient. My dad owned the unit since 1981 and rented most of them time for a very small amount so the tenant who lived there about 20 years just dealt with it and never brought it to his attention as her rent was VERY low. I only became aware after I bought the unit from his estate after he passed away. Parking on the street is very difficult after about 7pm as I live in a dense urban area so it can take a while to find a spot and it’s not very close at times. We have a company that we pay to deal with HOA issues and the man who does our building acts like I just need to deal with it. My question is, do I have ANY legal recourse??? To me it seems to be a right of way issue- like if I had a driveway and some blocked it. Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Mister Condo replies:

K.A., thank you for your letter and I think you have already answered your own question. Yes, you have legal recourse against the association for taking over your deeded space with their excess snow. Yes, it will cost them more to remove the snow in proper fashion but neither of those problems are yours. Speak with an attorney, threaten the association with a lawsuit, and, if they don’t change their ways, sue them! They will need to modify their snow removal arrangements to make sure your space is as free of snow as everyone else’s space. The extra cost of snow removal may cause a need for extra money in the snow removal budget but that expense is shared by all unit owners, not just you. Please keep in mind that I am not an attorney nor am I an expert is Colorado community association law so please speak with a qualified local attorney at your earliest convenience for a proper legal opinion. Good luck!