Homeowners fined after neighbor illegally paints parking spaces

BOSTON — Residents of one Boston neighborhood are fed up after they say they were issued tickets for dozens of “fake parking spaces” spray painted on their street.

Boston 25 News counted 29 spaces total stretching two city blocks along Glendale Street in Dorchester.

“I thought the city came and put the lines in the street,” Aja Jones told Boston 25 News after receiving a ticket.

Neighbors tell us a fellow neighbor painted the spots himself last month to make the parking situation on their street a little more orderly.

They told Boston 25 News that they didn’t mind what he did, but they were floored by the consequences that came to their front doors.

According to neighbors, they received $50 violation tickets from the city coding department for the illegally painted spots in front of their properties.

At first, many told Boston 25 News that the small font on the tickets made it tough to read and make sense of.

When they got through the comment section their confusion shifted to anger.

“I think this is intimidating its bully like behavior by the city by the coding department to think that the response to that is to issue tickets to everyone,” Linda Cruz, a landlord with property on the street, said.

Cruz says the city is pointing a finger at every homeowner with an illegally painted sign in front of their property.

“This is shameful. I’m not paying this $50,” she said.

Some of those who received a violation tell Boston 25 News they don’t even park out on the street.

“It’s ridiculous,” said neighbor Antonio Tavares. “He paints the street and we have to pay. Why?”

Boston 25 News reached out the city of Boston Wednesday evening with a list of questions.

A spokeswoman said she was still working to get to the bottom of the neighbors’ claims on Wednesday night and expected more information on Thursday. She encouraged neighbors who feel they were improperly ticketed to file appeals on the city’s website or by calling 311.

Boston 25 News attempted to find the man who neighbors say spray painted the parking spaces. He could not be reached for comment.

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