At first, I tried to play it straight. I sent an email to the HOA, laid everything out clearly, cited the city code, attached photos, even asked politely for documentation proving they actually had authority over the street. I kept the tone professional, almost overly respectful because part of me still thought maybe this gets resolved the normal way.
They responded 2 days later, short, vague, and completely unhelpful. The HOA operates under established governing documents. Enforcement actions are within our rights. No attachments, no proof, no specifics, just words. And then about a week later, my truck disappeared again. This time, it wasn’t even subtle. It was gone overnight.
No notice, no warning, like they wanted me to know exactly who was in control. I remember standing there in the morning staring at the empty curb. And instead of feeling surprised or even angry, I just felt tired. Not the kind of tired you get from work, but the kind that comes from realizing you’re dealing with something stubborn and pointless.
That toe cost me more than money. I missed a full job that day, a client I’d been working with for months, and that hit harder than the fee. That’s when it stopped being about inconvenience and started being personal. So, I stopped arguing and I started digging. I called the city planning office first, got bounced around a few departments, zoning, infrastructure, permits until I finally landed on someone who sounded like they actually knew what they were talking about.
I explained the situation, gave them the street name, and asked a simple question. Is this road public or private? There was a pause, keyboard typing in the background, and then the guy said, “Huh, that’s interesting. Not exactly the answer you want to hear.” He explained that the road had been built by the original developer when the neighborhood was first planned.
