GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. — After neighbors raised questions about parking tickets and towing at a Forest Hills lot, answers have emerged about who's behind the enforcement and where the money goes.
Last week, neighbors complained online about receiving tickets and having cars towed from a private lot near Noco Provisions and Azul Agave in Grand Rapids Charter Township. The complaints raised questions about who was issuing tickets, whether they were enforceable and where the money was going.
Michelle, a Forest Hills neighbor, described getting a ticket after parking in the lot.
"To go from an honest mistake and have somebody jump on it right away, within 10 minutes, it just feels kinda gross," she said.
A follow-up investigation provided answers to neighbors' concerns.
Neither Noco Provisions nor Azul Agave, which hasn't opened yet, had anything to do with the parking enforcement.
The Kent County Sheriff's Office confirmed the tickets are not issued by law enforcement. Grand Rapids Township also said it wasn't behind the tickets.
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Instead, these are private parking tickets. The Sheriff's Office said it doesn't enforce these tickets, and if they go unpaid, they could be sent to collections.
John Francis, property manager with Francis Realty Co, confirmed his company manages the lot and handles enforcement. Francis said that while people had parked there without consequences for a long time, they decided to start actively enforcing parking restrictions.
He said the enforcement protects private property and tenants connected to the lot, pointing to signs posted throughout the property.
As for where the money goes, Francis confirmed that money from parking tickets doesn't go to the landlord or property management company, but he couldn't say where it does go. The towing company said money paid to them stays with them, citing rising costs for fuel and storage.
Noco Provisions reminds customers they have overflow parking next to Kennedy's Flower Shop.
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