NYC drivers may have to pay $30 a month for parking in their neighborhoods

Finding street parking in New York City is a challenge in itself. Although New York is one of the few cities in the United States where residents do not need to own a car, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an increase in new and used car registrations. In addition, thousands of parking spots have been lost to outdoor dining.

Recently, the New York State Senate introduced a new measure that aims to create a parking permit system in the city’s residential neighborhoods. Under this proposal, New Yorkers would be required to pay a monthly fee for parking their cars in their neighborhoods. The Senate would give the City Council the authority to decide how and where to implement permit parking. 

The city would be able to charge up to $30 a month for a permit. All the funds raised through this program will go to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to help resolve its financial obstacles. By 2026, the MTA could have an operating deficit of $4.6 billion, Gothamist reports. Previously, the authority announced that it would be increasing transit fares and reducing service on seven subway lines to cut the budget deficit. 

New York Governor Kathy Hochul introduced multiple measures to help the MTA cover its budget deficit, including raising payroll taxes for businesses that benefit from the transit network and a $500 million annual contribution from the city. However, the Senate and Assembly rejected these proposals and introduced a parking permit system.

The idea of creating permit parking in residential neighborhoods received negative feedback from lawmakers. New York State Assemblymember Kenny Burgos said on Twitter that the new measure “is not even remotely feasible in 95% of neighborhoods in NYC.” However, State Senator Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) backed the push for parking permits. 

“I represent western Queens and there's a lot of neighborhoods, like my own, where people from elsewhere come, drop their cars off in the morning and hop the subway to get a quick ride into Manhattan,” Senator Gianaris told NY1. “And that’s frustration that local residents have felt for years because... they're having to circle their own block for a half hour, 45 minutes just trying to find a spot on their own street.”

“The funding for this would go towards helping the MTA dig out of the hole that it's been in since the ridership fell during the pandemic, " Gianaris said. “And the governor, by contrast, asked the city to just write a $500 million check every year to the MTA to cover part of the hole. We're trying to give the city some options.”

Resources:

“NYC residents may soon need permits to park their cars in their neighborhoods,” by Anna Rahmanan (Time Out, 2023)

“State mulling residential parking permits for New York City residents,” by Natalie Duddridge (CBS New York, 2023) 

“Mornings on 1: ​State Senate leader defends proposal to create permit parking in NYC,” by NEW YORK STATE SENATOR Michael Gianaris (The New York State Senate, 2023)