Homeowner fighting HOA to keep his work van in his driveway

HOUSTON, Texas -- A northeast Houston plumber is considering moving out of his subdivision due to what he calls unfair rules from his homeowner's association.

Joey Albritton has lived in Summerwood for two years. He's a plumber who gets to and from jobs in a marked work vehicle.

Albritton said the HOA is now forcing him to park outside the subdivision.

"It's frustrating to not be able to park my own vehicle in my own driveway," he said. "Their entire argument is that work vans bring property values down in the neighborhood."

CIA Services, Inc. manages the HOA but declined to answer our questions about the situation. An attorney responded by e-mail, "Unfortunately, the Association does not discuss or comment on individual owner matters with members of the public or the media."

Albritton showed Eyewitness News a letter from the HOA, indicating he has until June 2 to move the van.

"I work most days from sun up to sun down and now I have to go to a storage facility and drop my van off," he explained. "If I do get an emergency in the middle of the night, I've got to drive my van all the way over to the storage lot."

Albritton said he offered to cover the decals on the van while it's parked in his driveway, but that didn't work.

"They defined to me at the board meeting a commercial vehicle as any vehicle used for work purposes or income based purposes," he said. "If I have to move I have to move. The working man is being pushed back into the country."