Guests, Don’t Park In Brooklyn

CBS – 2 NY

A proposed law may give only residents who live in certain neighborhoods the right to park there.

But there’s a catch.

“Our neighborhood is not a parking lot.” That’s the cry of several lawmakers who have introduced legislation to allow residential permit parking.

“Driving around looking for a parking space is a New York tradition as old as corned beef, but if we can do something to improve it we should and this will,” said State Sen. Daniel Squadron, D-Brooklyn.

It’s another way of saying if you live here you can park here. If you don’t, you’re plumb out of luck. Residents would buy permits for a nominal fee — say $25 to $100 a year.

The downtown Brooklyn communities, because they are the gateway to Manhattan, have become a hub for people coming into our neighborhoods parking their cars and then taking mass transit,” said Assemblywoman Joan Millman, D-Brooklyn.

But it’s not just Brooklyn. Any neighborhood that wants to keep its parking for its residents can have such a program. Leslie Lewis said he’s beside himself because it’s difficult to park near his Boerum Hill home.

“I’m not looking for some guaranteed parking space painted in the street, but I am looking for just a proper chance at it without a commuter taking it away,” Lewis said.

But there’s an “alternate side of the street” to this parking story.

“Oh no, I don’t think that’s fair,” said Monica Wilson of Jamaica. “These are public streets and the entire public should be able to park on them.”

“It really shouldn’t be because it’s a business area, right,” added Gloria Katz of Mill Basin.

Other cities that have the residential parking permit program in effect are Boston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and Hoboken, N.J.

Councilman David Yassky is sponsoring a home rule message to get the state Legislature to approve the measure.