Much to the distress of residents, students rushing to get to class in the morning often park illegally in apartment complexes close to campus.

“In the morning, around 10, there will be no parking,” said sophomore undecided major Ali Cefalu, a resident of 501 Lucinda Ave.

Cefalu said twice this semester she had to drive to her boyfriend’s apartment and walk back to her place.

To protect tenants’ rights, apartment complexes resort to towing cars parked without permits.

Star Properties issues parking permits to tenants, and anyone without one is liable to get towed, said Jessica Bradley, office secretary for Star.

Bradley said Star owns about 200 spots along Lucinda Avenue.

Tenants often complain about their spots being taken, causing Star to tow 24 hours a day and up to 30 cars each week, Bradley said.

The problem of illegal parking is at its worst two weeks into the semester when parking permits have not been issued yet, she said.

Illegally parked cars are also a problem around bars and parties.

“We tow a lot along Pappas [Drive] because of Starbusters,” Bradley said.

Eric Petruchuis, manager for Campus View Apartments, 511 Normal Road, faces a similar problem.

By afternoon there is no room to park in the lot which has almost 70 spaces, Petruchuis said.

“You can barely even get in here as people are blocking other people,” Petruchuis said. “Everyone wants a shortcut to go to class.”

Parties in a neighboring complex are also a problem, Petruchuis said.

He said he resorts to towing if vehicles without a permit are parked longer than 20 minutes or if vehicles are parked in the fire lanes.

Not all apartment complexes have a significant parking problem.

“We generally do not tow unless they’re parked in the fire lanes or if they constantly use other people’s parking spaces,” said Jonathon Murray of Pittsley Realty.

Murray said parking is a problem mostly on weekends when there are parties.