What You Need to Know About New Paid Parking on Adams Avenue

New paid parking signs were installed in early June along Adams Avenue between Park Boulevard and North Avenue ahead of a new “pay by plate” system. This change was approved by the City Council as part of overall changes to community parking. Once implemented, drivers will go to the kiosk, enter their license plate information, pay with a credit card or via an app, and display the receipt on their windshield. Paid parking will be enforced 8am-6pm Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays.

Parking meter rates have been increased from $1.25 to $2.50 per hour, with a 2-hour maximum. The increase, which will likely also include Balboa Park and the beach areas, will help the City address its large budget deficit. Local Community Parking Districts, which receive a small portion of the original $1.25 per hour fees, will not benefit. This increase by the City was done without consultation or input from the UH Parking District which represents our local businesses or residents.

Leslie Scavone, nearby owner of The Park Salon, isn’t happy about the change. “I have stylists who need to park and two hours won’t be nearly enough time for them, and there is next to no parking in our neighborhood to start with,” she said. “We also have clients who are frequently here for more than two hours. This could have a serious impact on my business.”

Residents in the area shared mixed feelings, some welcoming the change to open up more parking spaces during the day, and others, like Sharon Haven, feel it isn’t fair to long-time residents: “My family works hours that don’t line up with the new enforcement times - we don’t feel this is a fair change especially for those of us who have lived here for years and rely on the availability of on-street parking.”