DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – A number of residents at a Deerfield Beach senior apartment complex woke up to find their cars booted Tuesday morning — completely by surprise, they say — causing some to miss visits to the doctor and other obligations.
They say caregivers’ cars also got the boot.
“I have my grandkids that didn’t go to school today because of this,” resident Marietta O’Neal said.
It all happened at the Praxis of Deerfield Beach apartment complex, located off of Southwest 15th Street and 11th Way.
“This morning, that’s the most boots I’ve ever seen on the cars,” resident Simmie Patterson said.
Residents say more than 10 cars were booted overnight. Some cars, like O’Neal’s, had more than one boot on them.
“When I came out, they had booted my car,” O’Neal said. “I’m a veteran and I feel hurt, I really do, because I think it could’ve been done better.”
O’Neal, along with other residents, said they weren’t aware they needed a parking permit to park their cars where they lived and said complex managers never made it clear that they needed one.
“I just got the car, so I felt like they should’ve (given) me a warning,” O’Neal said.
But instead of a warning, residents say they were slapped with costly boots.
“It cost me $75, money I really don’t have to spend,” O’Neal said. “(I feel) violated.”
Residents say management could have displayed signs in a more visible way for the complex’s residents, most of whom are aged 62 and up.
Local 10 News went to the complex’s office seeking comment, but a representative for the building declined to speak about the matter.
Most residents ended up paying the bill to have the boots removed.