"Parking Wars": How Our Streets Became Battlegrounds and What Smart Buyers Should Do

Introduction: When the Street Becomes Private Property!

It's 7 PM. You return from a long, exhausting day at work, entering your residential neighborhood looking for parking. You find your usual spot in front of your house... blocked by a metal chain! You look right—another spot has an orange cone. You look left—an old abandoned car has been occupying two spaces for months.

You drive around the side streets for an extra ten minutes, only to end up parking 200 meters from your home, carrying heavy groceries while walking in the summer heat or winter cold.

This isn't a fictional scenario—it's the daily reality for thousands in our residential neighborhoods. A silent "parking war" that escalates day by day, turning neighbors into adversaries and public streets into contested territories.

💡 Did you know? Reserving public parking spots with chains or barriers is an explicit municipal violation and an encroachment on public rights, with fines up to 500 SAR!

Root Causes: How Did We Get Here?

The parking crisis didn't appear out of nowhere. Accumulated factors have led us to this state of chaos and fierce competition for every square meter of street space.

Increasing Population Density

With rapid population growth and rising land prices, many villa owners have converted their properties into multi-unit apartment buildings. A villa that once housed one family with two cars now contains 6-8 apartments with 10-15 cars!

The result? Streets designed to accommodate a limited number of vehicles are now choking with multiples of their intended capacity.

Lack of Prior Planning

Many older neighborhoods were built when cars were a luxury, not a necessity. They weren't allocated sufficient parking, and their streets weren't designed to handle current traffic density.

The "This Spot is Mine" Culture

Some people have developed a false belief that the parking spot in front of their home is "private property," despite public streets belonging to everyone. This belief transforms into aggressive behavior: chains, cones, concrete blocks, and sometimes direct confrontations with neighbors!

Crisis Manifestations: Three Phenomena Destroying Neighborhoods

Phenomenon One: Forceful Parking Reservation

Metal chains, orange cones, large rocks, concrete blocks, and even old chairs—all tools some people use to "reserve" parking spots in front of their homes or commercial establishments.

What does the law say? According to Jeddah Municipality and other municipalities, reserving public parking spots by any means is an explicit violation. Violators are required to remove barriers, and municipal penalty regulations are applied against them.

Social consequences: This behavior doesn't just create a parking crisis—it generates daily friction between neighbors, disputes that sometimes reach security authorities, and permanent tension that ruins social relationships in the neighborhood.

Phenomenon Two: Commercial Encroachment

If you live near a commercial street or close to a popular restaurant or shopping center, you know this scene well: shop visitors completely occupy the residential neighborhood's parking spots, and you—a neighborhood resident—are forced to search for parking streets away from your home!

Daily suffering:

• Returning from shopping with heavy bags and walking long distances

• Elderly and people with special needs suffer more than others

• Children are dropped off on public streets far from home

• Being late for appointments due to repeated parking searches

The supposed solution: Municipal regulations require commercial establishments to provide adequate parking for their customers, but enforcement remains the biggest challenge.

Phenomenon Three: Abandoned and Damaged Cars

An old dust-covered car with flat tires, left in the same spot for months or even years. This familiar scene in many neighborhoods isn't just an eyesore—it deprives residents of parking spaces they need daily.

Multiple damages:

• Depriving residents of valuable parking spots

• Distorting the neighborhood's general appearance

• Becoming shelter for stray animals and insects

• Risk of being used for negative activities by some teenagers

• Possibility of license plate theft for use in crimes

Your Rights and Responsibilities: What Does the Law Say?

Before you act, it's important to understand the legal framework governing public parking use in the Kingdom.

A Fact That Might Surprise You

Public streets are public property. No one—regardless of their home's location—has the right to claim ownership of a specific parking spot in front of their house. Everyone has equal rights to use public streets, and priority goes to whoever arrives first.

Violations and Fines

According to Royal Decree No. 218 and municipal penalty regulations:

Parking reservation: Placing any barriers (chains, cones, blocks) to reserve a public parking spot is an explicit violation requiring removal and fines.

Abandoned cars: Leaving a car in a public parking spot for more than 7 days exposes the owner to fines ranging from 200-500 SAR.

Damaged cars: A warning sticker is placed, with a 7-day grace period for damaged cars (15 days for abandoned), then towing to municipal impoundment.

After impoundment: If the owner doesn't come forward within 3 months, the car is sold as scrap and the owner loses ownership rights.

How to Report?

You have several channels for reporting violations:

Unified number: 940 for reporting abandoned and damaged cars

Balady app: You can submit an electronic report with documentary photos

Municipality accounts: Via official social media platforms for your city's municipality

Important tip: Document the violation with photos, record the date and location, and keep the report number for follow-up.

The Radical Solution: Why Basement Parking is the Smartest Investment?

After all this suffering, it becomes clear that the real solution isn't "winning" the parking war, but avoiding it altogether. This is where the importance of looking for a property with designated basement parking in the deed comes in.

Why is Basement Parking a Strategic Investment?

Permanent peace of mind: No more daily searching for parking. No more tension with neighbors. Your spot is legally reserved and documented in the property deed.

Car protection: The car is protected from scorching sun, rain, dust, and weather factors that damage paint and interior components. This means a longer life for your car and higher value when selling.

Security: Enclosed basement parking provides better protection from theft and vandalism compared to street parking.

Investment value: Studies show that properties with designated basement parking retain their value better, sell faster, and attract higher-quality tenants and buyers.

Numbers Worth Considering

86%: Return on investment rate for basement improvements according to the American NAR/NARI report

70-75%: Average cost recovery for basement area preparation when selling

91.7%: Of households have at least one car, and 22% have 3 or more cars

These numbers confirm that demand for designated parking will increase over time, making properties that offer it more valuable.

Advice for Smart Buyers

When searching for a new property, make "designated basement parking in the deed" one of your top priorities. You might pay an additional amount today, but you save yourself:

• Years of daily stress

• Disputes with neighbors

• Car damage from sun and rain

• Time wasted searching for parking

• Higher property value when reselling

Coexistence Tips: If You Don't Have Designated Parking

If you currently live in a property without designated parking, here are some tips for coexisting with the situation:

Be Part of the Solution

• Don't reserve parking with barriers—this violates regulations and increases tension

• Report abandoned cars through official channels

• Communicate politely with neighbors to resolve disputes amicably

• Participate in forming a neighborhood committee to coordinate parking matters

Practical Solutions

• Rent a parking spot in a neighboring building if available

• Coordinate with neighbors to exchange spots according to work schedules

• Consider reducing the number of cars if possible

• Study the possibility of moving to a property with designated parking

Communicating with Relevant Authorities

• Contact the municipality to request a study of parking conditions in your neighborhood

• Suggest solutions such as: paid parking, residential permits, no-parking at certain times

• Follow up with traffic management to enforce regulations on violators

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my neighbor have the right to reserve the parking spot in front of his house?

No. Public streets are public property, and no one has the right to reserve a specific spot. Priority goes to whoever arrives first, and placing any barriers is a municipal violation.

How do I report an abandoned car in my neighborhood?

Call 940, use the "Balady" app, or contact the municipality's social media accounts. Document the car with photos and specify its location precisely.

How long is a car allowed to be left in a public parking spot?

7 days maximum. After that, the car is considered abandoned, and the municipality has the right to place a warning sticker, then tow it after the grace period expires (15 days for abandoned, 7 days for damaged).

Is basement parking worth the price difference?

Yes, absolutely. Daily peace of mind, car protection, avoiding disputes, and higher investment value—all factors that make the price difference a smart investment, not an additional cost.

What should I do if I find a chain blocking a public parking spot?

Report to the municipality and don't remove the chain yourself to avoid any confrontation. The municipality is obligated to remove it and apply fines to the violator.

Do commercial establishments have the right to reserve parking for their customers?

They don't have the right to reserve spots on public streets. Commercial establishments must provide internal parking for their customers according to municipal requirements.

Conclusion: Invest in Your Peace of Mind

"Parking wars" aren't an inevitable fate you must live with. The solution starts with your smart investment decision when buying or renting property.

The Golden Rule: Always look for a property with designated basement parking documented in the deed. This simple investment saves you years of stress and problems.

For now: If you're suffering from a parking crisis, use your legal right to report violations, communicate civilly with your neighbors, and look for creative solutions to coexist.

At Raghdan, we believe that true housing means complete comfort—from the moment you enter the neighborhood until you reach your apartment door. Browse our properties and use the "designated parking" filter to find a home that ends the parking war before it begins.