You are absolutely wrong.
There are laws governing assigning a handicapped space to a license plate or placard number
Anyone with deemed disabled by their physician, SSA, SSI etc can make a "reasonable accommodation" request to HOA, Apartment management, owner, municipality etc to have a handicapped spot designated for their use only.
This is true, even if a development has the correct number of ADA handicapped spots required by law.
Complexes are required to immediately address the request, whether made verbally or in writing
Spaces in a complex requested by a "reasonable accommodation" are required to be as close as possible to a tenant's front door
In a 55 plus or other senior development, it is hard to fulfill everyone's requests, but they need to be addressed and assigned as received.
Ignoring a "reasonable accommodation" request is considered discrimination. Don't make that mistake it could be very costly.
Putting a placard number or plate number on a legal sign, is hardly a hardship for any complex, when denying or ignoring a request will have far reaching ramifications.
In order to get a DMV plate or placard a form needs to be filled out and signed by a physician, which should serve as ample proof a resident has a disability.
REMEMBER ALL DISABILITIES ARE NOT OBVIOUS AND BE CAREFUL HOW YOU ADDRESS A PERSON WHOSE DISABILITY MAYBE BE CAUSED BY AN UNSEEN MEDICAL ISSUE.
A person can appear healthy on any given day, but have underlying issues.
They don't stamp people's heads when they have Cancer, Lupus, Cardiac issues and hundreds more, so everyone knows their business.
Everyone has a right to privacy and ignoring those rights can be financially devastating to any complex.
The rules and laws change and it is the responsibility of every complex, owner, HOA or any other governing body supplying housing to know the rules.
"I didn't know" will not win over ADA laws,discrimination suits or any other legal channels a tenant might chose to take regarding
"Reasonable Accomodations" requests.
Respondents, need to respond to requests for accomodations or reconsiderations.
It isn't always easy, but it needs to be done properly.