Could Mamdani Really End Free Street Parking?

"Parking occupies a huge amount of public space that could instead be shared with pedestrians, bicyclists, other vehicles, and everyone else. (The air pollution alone from drivers endlessly seeking a space is a cost few want to calculate, although someone should do so.)"

"The urbanist Donald Shoup wrote multiple books and thousands of pages that make a persuasive case against free urban parking: It is an extremely undervalued asset, he argues, and putting a fair price on it will both make it easier to find a spot and pay for lots of city services."

"Too many New Yorkers have built their existence around it, especially in the subwayless low-rise areas of Queens and Brooklyn, and City Hall isn't going to cut them off lest every public official be immediately defenestrated."

New York City's proposed parking fees to address budget gaps sparked controversy, though Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan clarified such measures wouldn't solve the $5.4 billion deficit. Parking occupies substantial public space that could serve pedestrians, cyclists, and other uses. The practice of free curb parking is economically inefficient and environmentally costly due to pollution from drivers searching for spaces. Urbanist Donald Shoup documented how fair pricing for parking would ease congestion and generate revenue for city services. However, political reality prevents eliminating free parking, as many New Yorkers, particularly in outer boroughs lacking subway access, depend on it. City officials avoid implementing such changes due to public opposition.

Read at Curbed