Why this matters
Revenue collected from San Diego community parking districts help pay for infrastructure projects such as bike lanes, street lighting, landscaping, wayfinding signs, walking paths, trash cleanups, shuttles, shade structures, promenades and more.
The city of San Diego’s parking districts have collected $62 million in revenue over the last seven years, generating funding for projects such as shuttles, wider pedestrian paths and more wheelchair-accessible parking spaces.
But that revenue has dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic, even as parking availability worsens in some neighborhoods.
The city has seven of what are known as community parking districts, including downtown, which brings in the most revenue. Four of those districts have metered parking.
The Old Town district does not have metered parking, but it does charge motorists to park in a lot during special events.
As inewsource reported, two new parking districts have been authorized but have yet to implement paid parking. Officials have approved districts in San Ysidro, where parking can be scarce and is impacted by travelers at the border, and Kearny Mesa, a bustling business corridor.
These parking districts are run by appointed advisory boards that decide how money will be spent. The revenue pays for projects within that district, but not all of it stays there.
First, the city first takes roughly half to pay for administrative costs — personnel, contracting a parking meter company, marketing, or even renting office space. Of the remaining revenue, about 55% goes toward the city’s budget. The remainder — less than a quarter of the revenue generated — goes toward upgrades and projects in the district.
Here are more details for each parking district, according to city records that inewsource obtained.
Downtown
The Downtown Community Parking District was established in 1997. It has about 3,400 meters. Since 2017, the district has collected nearly $44 million in revenue. In addition to metered parking revenue, it received $500,000 during the 2023 fiscal year from funding generated by the Park it on Market and 6th and K parking garages, and city staff requested a $100,000 transfer from San Diego’s citywide parking fund to make up for a revenue shortfall.
The district has paid for reconfiguring street parking and the Free Ride Everywhere Downtown program, which had provided free electric vehicle rides in the area until recently imposing a fee. Records show district plans to use its revenue to install pedestrian lighting, upgrade sidewalks and install more wayfinding signage.
Uptown
The Uptown Community Parking District, which includes portions of the Hillcrest, International Restaurant Row, Mission Hills, and Bankers Hill neighborhoods, was established in 1997. It has more than 1,400 meters.
Over the last seven years, the district has collected nearly $16 million in meter revenue. Uptown’s parking district has helped pay for the Fourth and Fifth Avenue Bikeways project in Bankers Hill, construction of a future Normal Street Promenade, and upkeep of landscaping and trash collection related to those bikeways.
The district also trimmed off “excessive” red curbs to add parking, labeled commercial and passenger loading zones, created more wheelchair-accessible parking spaces, and continues to lease the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles lot for free public use during weekday evenings.
Uptown’s parking district goals include improving “traffic circulation” and continuing to encourage people to take public transit, according to financial records.
Mid-City
The Mid-City Community Parking District was established in 1997. It has more than 270 meters. Over the last seven years, the district has collected nearly $2 million in revenue.
Mid-City’s parking district goals include widening a pedestrian bridge on Interstate 805, sidewalk improvements to Adams Avenue, and converting seven blocks of parallel parking spaces to angled ones, which will ultimately create nearly 500 new on-street parking spaces.
Just like in Uptown, Mid-City’s parking district trimmed off excessive red curbs to add parking, labeled commercial and passenger loading zones, and created more wheelchair-accessible and motorcycle parking spaces. More parking meters may come to 30th Street from Upas to the east side of University Avenue and from University to the west side of Adams, according to district records.
Pacific Beach
The Pacific Beach Community Parking District was created in 2005 but only began collecting meter revenue in November. Since then, it has collected more than $220,000. It has about 220 meters within a business district along Garnet Avenue, Ocean Boulevard to the west, Ingraham Street to the east, Grand Avenue to the south and Emerald Street to the north.
The recently collected revenue will help pay for a neighborhood electric vehicle shuttle service in Pacific Beach, including providing connections to the Balboa Avenue Transit Center.
Type of Content
News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
