Advocates Move to Save Oakland's Parking Enforcement - Streetsblog San Francisco

"We write to you today in alarm. It has come to our attention that the Administration is planning to move parking enforcement from OakDOT to Finance. While this may appear as a simple administrative shift, it is a strategic error that will undermine Oakland's transit, safety, and economic goals. Please initiate review with Council through issuing a Statement of Purpose for their review, and delay these changes until approved by Council."

"We must treat parking policy and enforcement not as a revenue stream, but as a dynamic tool for building cities. Effective curb management - through smart pricing, exclusions, and other techniques is essential for reducing congestion, supporting local businesses, and ensuring public safety. Rampant double-parking in commercial districts demonstrates this very vividly. Providing OakDOT with the mandate to use best-practice parking management isn't just about parking and revenue; it's about making Oakland more accessible, productive, and livable for everyone."

"We must stick to this. This is precisely why parking was embedded within OakDOT to begin with. In 2013, Council unanimously passed a set of parking principles that states, in part, that "Parking is part of a multi-modal approach to developing neighborhood transportation infrastructure" and that "Parking policy and regulations should help the City meet other transportation, land use, and environmen"

Advocacy groups warn that moving parking enforcement from OakDOT to Finance would convert parking into a revenue-driven function and weaken strategic curb management. The groups request Council review through a Statement of Purpose and a delay of the change until Council approval. Effective curb management, including smart pricing and exclusions, is described as essential to reduce congestion, support local businesses, and enhance public safety, with rampant double-parking cited as evidence. The groups argue that OakDOT should retain a mandate to implement best-practice parking management to improve accessibility, productivity, livability, and to fulfill 2013 Council parking principles linking parking to multimodal transportation, land use, and environmental goals.

Read at Streetsblog