A Floridian homeowners association doesn’t want one of its members to park their new all-electric Rivain R1T outside. The rule dates back to the 1980s and has the truck owner digging in for a battle. Precedent indicates that the Rivian might end up getting to stay on the street and the HOA might be in for a surprise.
The HOA in question is that of Weston Hills Country Club just west of downtown Fort Lauderdale. The owner of the Rivian R1T pickup, Glenn Gordon, told WPLG Local 10 News that he’s been a resident for some 27 years. Now, just two weeks after receiving his new truck, the HOA sent a letter citing the following rule.
“Trucks, trailers, Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and/or commercial vehicles of any kind are not permitted to be parked anywhere… except inside of your garage during overnight hours.” Gordon says that “These were written in the 1980s by Arvida and it said no trucks and no vans. Since then, trucks have become a popular vehicle for personal use.”
Read: 2023 Rivian R1T Electric Pickup Truck Aces Its First IIHS Crash Test
He’s right. Oftentimes, trucks are less about actually hauling, towing, or working than they are about being a status symbol these days. To that end, you’d think that the HOA would appreciate having a $100,000 status symbol out in the neighborhood for all to see. Evidently, that’s far from the case.
The president of the HOA left Local 10 News a voicemail saying “If the gentleman would have read the documents when he bought the house, he would have seen that and there is a possibility that he would not have bought the truck.” At the very least it seems a bit silly for an HOA to take issue with a Rivian R1T parked outdoors when the clip from Local10 shows a Kia Telluride and an old Mazda 3 parked on the same street.
Either way, Gordon’s attorney points out that a similar case saw a truck owner sue his HOA. When the plaintiff won, the HOA not only had to allow the truck to be parked where it was but also had to pay attorney’s fees of some $40,000. “Is there anything that is going to make you get rid of that vehicle?” Gordon was asked. “No,” he said. “We are ready to take it … It is just wrong.”
H/T to Insideevs