SFMTA considers higher parking meter rates, pickleball court amid budget deficit

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The SFMTA on Tuesday discussed their plan to increase revenue. One of the main ideas is to increase parking meter costs and add a pickleball court.

"Traffic is bad enough, then parking is even worse," said Mike Maurer, a San Francisco driver.

San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency staff presented a plan to the MTA board that tackles a list of strategies to use public parking as a way to increase revenue. Some drivers view this as a way to push people out of the city.

"At a time when we are begging for people to come downtown, we actually need it to go back to be free parking with no restrictions. So that people are able to come downtown," said Maurer.

SFMTA is facing a projected $320 million budget deficit by July of 2026.

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The agency said rates have not changed in over seven years. Now, they want to increase all blocks currently at rate floor rate to a $1 an hour.

"Everything is getting more expensive so why not parking," said John Busch, a San Francisco driver.

The cost of street parking is not the only projected change. The agency is also reporting a drastic revenue drop of over 20% from pre-pandemic levels at parking garages.

One of the ideas is to turn the rooftop at 5th and Mission into a potential pickleball and tennis club.

"I don't play pickleball and I think it's a fad. I would rather we don't chase fads and stick to the basics," said Busch.

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SFMTA responded to the pickleball idea by saying:

"This is a long-term consideration that is still in very early stages as we explore possibilities for our properties that could be used for Joint Development."

If you are used to paying with your phone, you might also see a change there. SFMTA wants to start charging a convenience fee of $0.10 cents per transaction which they say they are passing on to the mobile payment user.

"That is terrible. That is just penny pinching," said Ray Pitchford, a San Francisco driver.

Luke Bornheimer, a transportation advocate and executive director of the nonprofit Streets Forward, wants SFMTA to do more.

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"These proposals don't go nearly far enough. They could be charging for street parking on Sundays, nights and specially on commercial corridors which would help local businesses get more people come into their businesses," said Bornheimer.

Bornheimer believes charging for parking throughout the week will lead to more movement.

"When meters are turned off, basically people end up leaving their cars for many more hours or parking overnight as if is kind of a residential spot, so charging a good rate for a parking spot actually gets more people to turn over those parking spaces which means more people can go to local businesses and shop," said Bornheimer.

Others wants the city to rethink these strategies.

"That is ridiculous," said Pitchford. "It's just a domino effect. You run people out of here from coming then there are less jobs, then there are less jobs locally to support the local businesses and it just keeps going down and down again."

SFMTA is not voting on these plans yet. Tuesday presentation is part of the initial proposal for these strategies. Something else they are considering is extending weekend parking enforcement.