The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency plans to extend metered parking hours starting this summer until 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, which is currently until 6 p.m. in most areas.
The SFMTA says it will start in six phases beginning in July 2023 and continue through December 2024.
The agency is also adding meter hours from noon until 6 p.m. on Sundays.
The SFMTA says parking meters already operate in the evenings or on Sundays in some areas, including Mission Bay, South Beach, the 18th Street business district in Potrero Hill and along the Embarcadero.
SFMTA says this will make parking meter hours more consistent city-wide and will generate revenue to help sustain Muni service.
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But drivers, on the other hand, aren't happy about it.
"It's maddening! I mean to extend the parking through until 10 o'clock at night really just makes it difficult," said Rae Terry of San Francisco.
"It's like every little thing is more and more and more and the city is in worse and worse shape, don't get me started, sorry," said Anita Ettinger of San Francisco.
Parklets and bike lanes have taken away parking spots in recent years, now more meter enforcement.
But those with the SFMTA are expecting a $130 million deficit by 2025, and say they must act.
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"Our conservative estimate is that this would return about $18.5 million in revenue so obviously not $130 million, but a pretty substantial chunk," said Hank Wilson of the SFMTA.
Ten years ago, a similar Sunday meter enforcement was put into place. Wilson says it was successful for more than a year in bringing more customers to businesses and restaurants.
But in 2014, Mayor Ed Lee helped successfully pushed to reinstate free parking saying, "Instead of nickel and diming our residents at the meter on Sunday, let's work together to support comprehensive transportation funding measures."
Wilson, though, says it's about helping businesses.
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"San Francisco is not in the 1950s anymore and businesses are open on evenings and Sundays, and we think it makes a lot of sense to extend this."
Without a bridge in the funding deficit, Wilson says Muni service could be severely cut. Riders though are confused and believe there are better ways to cut the deficit.
"Really you should be focusing on people who take advantage of the public transit and don't pay, they just walk on and you go to other cities like Chicago or New York and they're not going to let you on that bus, they're going to say, 'yo get off' but here you just go on them," said Muni rider Anthony Deavila.
"Oh let me count the ways of how I'm frustrated with the city and yet I love the city, I have lived here since 1962, it's beautiful and I understand why people want to come and visit and I want them to be here; but I want it to be the beautiful city I know and I don't want them to have to pay $15 to $20 to park their car," said Terry.
Extended Parking Meter Hours Phasing Plan:
Source: SFMTA
Current evening/Sunday meter hours
Mission Bay
South Beach
Port/Embarcadero
Phase 1
July 2023
Dogpatch
Fisherman's Wharf
Phase 2
September 2023
North Beach
Central SoMa
Western SoMa
Hayes Valley
Civic Center
Lower Polk
Upper Polk
Financial District
Telegraph Hill
Union Square
Union Street/Cow Hollow
Marina
Upper Fillmore
Phase 3
October to December 2023
Lower Divisadero
Upper Divisadero
Western Addition
Castro/Upper Market/Duboce Triangle
Inner Sunset
Middle Irving
Upper Haight
Cole Valley
Showplace Square/Northern Potrero
Potrero Hill (18th Street)
Phase 4
January - March 2024
Ocean Avenue
Laurel/Presidio Heights
Lone Mountain
Inner Clement
Inner Geary
Inner Balboa
Noe Valley
Bernal Heights (Cortland)
Glen Park
Phase 5
April - May 2024
West Portal
Outer Clement
Outer Geary
Outer Balboa
Outer Noriega
Inner Noriega
Taraval
UCSF/Parnassus
Phase 6
May - December 2024
Bayview
Visitacion Valley
San Bruno
Excelsior/Outer Mission
24th Street/Calle 24
Inner Mission
Mission south of 24th
Northeast Mission
Tenderloin
Lower Fillmore/Japantown
Lower Haight
Chinatown