It’s time for us residents to get a parking perk. Parking in this city is difficult. Everywhere we go there are meters and paid garages. You can add the highest cost for parking to the list of highest rents and highest sales taxes. Yet the council talks often about ‘affordability’
Introducing WEHOpass – the all-city parking permit that welcomes residents of West Hollywood to park in city-owned garages for free for the first 2 hours. Eat, Shop, Play, and Park in WeHo.
And why do we have to pay to get a residential parking pass and guest parking passes? How many cities charge to ‘have guests’? With an 18 million dollar surplus and freebies for pet projects, it seems quite unclear why we cannot offer West Hollywood residents a free parking pass.
Here are some stats: In 2022, West Hollywood collected a total of $636,023 in parking pass revenues. We issued 5,470 residential parking passes and 15,862 guest passes. In 2023, we collected $901,988 in parking pass revenues. That total was from 6,484 residential parking passes and 17,899 guest passes. All told, for less than half a Halloween, we can offer every resident a free parking and guest pass.
And what about the city garages? WeHo residents are already paying the highest of taxes and prices on every item we purchase at a local store.
There are so many benefits we can enjoy if our city allowed us the privilege of parking in city-owned garages for free. We can shop at local stores. We can attend more events. We can interact and support local businesses. The city will claw back additional taxes from local busienesses. More businesses will rent vacant storefronts. We can revive the community again.
If you watch the city council meetings and see the revenue expenditures it seems everybody has their hand in our tax dollars. Pet projects are approved often and find their way to familiar organizations that city council members are fond of. Do you remember when one council member approved funds to go to an organization that her wife hosted? Did you notice when all of a sudden the actors in the Vagina Monologues received a salary for their efforts? Hollywood Now was founded by Lindsey Horvath, its next President was John Erickson. Did you even notice the $225,000 to a women’s freedom festival that has no real following. 225k for 3 years is almost equal to a free parking pass for every resident. Instead it went to an organization that is based outside of West Hollywood because they are friends with ‘the progressives’? How about the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on consultants? But us residents have to pay to get a parking pass and a guest pass for our frineds.
A parking pass for every renter and homeowner is peanuts. A WeHoPass for residents to park in WeHo garages is simple. Our city parking rates are confusing. The council sets the rates and it’s time to update to FREE 2 HOUR PARKING AT ALL CITY GARAGES FOR RESIDENTS.
This year, let’s support local businesses. Let’s support local residents. Let’s give one residential and guest parking pass to all the residents. Let’s unleash our local economy with WeHoPass and allow residents access to any of the city parking garages for free. EAT, SHOP, PLAY, PARK WEHO. It’s not a big ask.
Below is the current rate of parking at all West Hollywood City Garages. Let’s update this!
| Facility Name | Hours & Rates | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonner Lot 10 Spaces 8700 Beverly Blvd (310) 855-0195 |
$2 ea 1 hr, 2 hr max stay
Hours: |
Meters, No EV No Monthly |
|
| City Hall Automated Garage 200 Spaces 1085 N Sweetzer Ave (310) 855-0195 |
$1 ea 20 min, $8 daily max, $5 max after 6pm
Lost Ticket: $8 Hours: |
No EV, ADA Accessible No MonthlyClosed on Holidays |
|
| Hart Park 8341 De Longpre Ave (323) 848-6530 |
Free, 2 hr max stay
Hours: |
Limited Parking, Strictly Enforced for Park Patrons | |
| Kings Road Parking Garage 165 Spaces 8383 Santa Monica Blvd (323) 848-8960 |
1st hr free, 6am-6pm $1 ea 15 min, $10 max, $5 max after 6pmLost Ticket: $10Hours: Mon-Wed: 6am-12am Thu & Sun: 6am-2am Fri: 6am-3am Sat: 8am-3am |
Access Controlled, 4 EV, ADA Accessible Call for monthly availability and pricingOvernight Parking Permit Program (323) 848-8960 |
|
| La Jolla Lot 28 Spaces 1044 N La Jolla Ave (310) 855-0195 |
$2 ea hr, 2 hr max stay
Hours: |
Meters, 3 EV, ADA No MonthlyOvernight Parking Permit Program (323) 848-8960 |
|
| Melrose Lot 12 Spaces 8759 Melrose Ave (310) 855-0195 |
$2 ea hr, 2 hr max stay
Hours: |
Pay-by-Plate, No EV, ADA No Monthly |
|
| Orange Grove Lot 45 Spaces 1114 N Orange Grove Ave (310) 855-0195 |
$2 ea hr until 6pm
Sun-Thu: $6 flat rate after 6pm Hours: |
Pay-by-Plate, No EV, ADA Call for monthly availability and pricing |
|
| Plummer Park North 108 Spaces 1248 N Vista St (323) 848-6530 |
Free
Hours: |
ADA No Monthly *Monday 7am – 3pm parking limited to 1 hr for Farmers’ Market patrons |
|
| Plummer Park South 88 Spaces 7377 Santa Monica Blvd (323) 848-6530 |
Free, 3 hr “`html | Free, 3 hr max stay
Hours: |
2 EV, ADA No Monthly |
| Queens Lot 34 Spaces 8459 Sunset Blvd (323) 848-8960 |
$2 ea hr, $2 ea hr after 6pm
Hours: |
Pay-by-Plate, 4 EV, ADA Call for monthly availability and pricing |
|
| Robertson Lot 29 Spaces 617 N Robertson Blvd (310) 855-0195 |
$2 ea hr, first 3 hrs $2 ea hr thereafterHours: 24/7 |
Pay-by-Plate, No EV, ADA No Monthly |
|
| Spaulding Lot 28 Spaces 7718 Santa Monica Blvd (310) 855-0195 |
Sun-Wed: $6 flat rate after 6pm Thu: $7 flat rate after 6pm Fri & Sat: $8 flat rate after 6pmHours: 8am-2am, Daily $2 ea hr until 6pm |
Pay-by-Plate, 3 EV, ADA Call for monthly availability and pricingOvernight Parking Permit Program (323) 848-8960 |
|
| Sunset Lot 78 Spaces 8775 Sunset Blvd (310) 855-0195 |
Rates: $2 ea hrHours: 8am-2am, Daily |
8 Tesla Super Charging, 4 EV, ADA Call for Monthly Availability & Pricing |
|
| West Hollywood Park 5-Story 326 Spaces 625 N San Vicente Blvd (310) 855-0195 |
1st hr free, 6am-6pm Daily: $1 ea 15 min Lost Ticket: Daily MaxHours: Sun-Wed: 5am-2am, $6 daily max after 6pm Thurs: 5am-2am, $8 daily max after 6pm Fri-Sat: 5am-2am, $9 daily max after 6pm |
Access Controlled, 2 EV, ADA Call for Monthly Availability & Pricing 1st hr free, 6am-6pm 1 hr additional validation for park and rec center patrons |
|
| West Hollywood Library 625 N San Vicente Blvd (310) 855-0195 |
$1 ea 15 min
Hours: |
Access Controlled, Call for Monthly Availability & Pricing 3 hrs free with Library validation |
Let’s not ignore the whole weho hypocrisy thing where we’re supposedly trying to get people out of their cars, be “green”, not clog up roadways, not using fossil fuels etc. Then all the freeloaders want free parking everywhere, which basically sends the message “go clog up all the roads, use lots of gas” etc. And of course the city loses out on parking money. Sometimes I honestly can’t figure out what planet you people think you’re living on. What hypocrites.
Exactly. The only ones who should be eligible for this “proposal” should be senior citizens. Those with physical disabilities already get free parking with their special tags. Able bodied people should be encouraged to walk – not incentivized to drive.
To my knowledge parking garages are not free to the handicapped
Who says we want people out of their cars? I’m so sick of that rhetoric. Perhaps if you don’t work, and never need to leave the Weho city limits, that would be feasible. But it’s not reality. We will always need our cars. End of story.
I work and don’t drive and hae bee doing so since 2016. i have an hour to hou and 15 min commute to work and about an hour and half commute home via bus/train. I know lots of others who live car free as well. Make up your own excuses but don’t include me. Every car on the road makes all of your commutes longer. I encourage others to do their part and cut their use of single occupancy vehicle trips as much as possible. Free parking is a subsidy we all pay for without everyone gaining a benefit. I… Read more »
2 hour parking on all residential streets PERMIT EXEMPT. Employees of nearby businesses along Santa Monica Blvd are taking advantage and parking on residential streets that do not have daytime parking restrictions. This forces residents with no on-property parking and their visitors to have to park further from where they are actually going.
Those of us that have parking passes (which we have paid for) have difficulty finding spots anyway here in Norma Triangle (especially San Vicente north of Santa Monica). Why? Large livery SUVs use the street as their “rest areas” for hours, using spots to eat, nap, clean out their vehicles, etc in between rides. Even after 7pm enforcement. One can count 3-5 of them in afternoons and evenings just in one block (the most I have seen was 7 just in the 900 block) taking spots from RESIDENTS. Parking enforcement does nothing.
Code enforcement could have an office on this block of Dorrington and parking enforcement could station a person here each day. There are at least three construction site: one well into its fourth year, a second in its third year and the partial demolition of a three story building give us six days of noise, dust and a review of the lates in heavy machinery. With some reference to Larry Block’s recent piece on parking costs and revenue, pickup trucks and other vehicles associated with the construction often parked here preclude the possibility of a visitor finding a curb spot.I… Read more »
Interesting idea.
Giving every resident a parking card that gives us two hours of free parking in City lots is interesting but the first thing that comes to mind would be abuse of the system and the hidden costs of hiring more city employees to administer the program. The City does provide “free” parking for Council and Commission meetings that take place in Council Chambers. The problem is now that it is Spring and the sun doesn’t set until late, try finding a parking space for a 6:30 pm. City Council meeting in the municipal parking structure. My observation is that people… Read more »
How bout the costs saved from not having to have all those people contracted to issue the passes… —
I am not sure how much savings you would have. How is the system going to work if someone is not issuing resident’s permits? What about visitor passes? Extra Visitor passes are free if you go to the Kings Road Parking Structure, but some one has to issue them. While everyone loves something for free, you really need to think things out. The devil is always in the details.
A resident would get one WEHOpass free. The pass could be placed on the windshield same way as does now, perhaps a scan code to use hte city garages. You pay to replace if you lose. Technology can provide big savings too. The effects of Eat, Shop, Play and Park Weho can touch every resident and business in a positive, productive way.
I get that; but you still will have to have staff to issue and monitor these permits so your comment about savings seems a bit off. Not that it wouldn’t be nice but I don’t see the basis for any “savings”.
Comment as much as you want Steve Martin, the residents of WeHo DO NOT want you back on the City Council.
This is such an condescending and obtuse statement, it’s like saying the residents of the USA DO NOT want Biden back in office, it is true that US residents don’t want him back while it’s also true that US residents do want him back.
I don’t think those words mean what you’re trying to say. SM has run a few times since being voted out and the people keep telling him NO. SM keeps commenting on issues (and flip-flopping) so many times on them that he’d be better at making pancakes than making decision’s for a city where he’s not wanted on the council anymore. The residents have tried sending him the message through our votes. As a long time resident and voter in West Hollywood this seemed like another good place to tell him.
None of which negates Steve Martin’s noble engagement in issues here and in council comment. As a resident, he’s back on the top of the org chart and I hope he continues to speak his mind and share his thoughts, all in complete transparency, the hallmakr of honest civic engagement.
Why stop at free parking. You freeloaders should demand free electric, water too. You already want landlords to subsidize your luxury lifestyle in the zip code adjacent to 90210. Someone clue me in: what are you freeloaders actually willing to pay for?
Good luck with that. The City doesn’t care.
It’s all about $$$.
A significant contributor to the parking problem is the mistaken belief that persons in new housing of whatever income level don’t/ought not/shouldn’t have vehicles that oblige parking spaces. The belief prior to the legislature’s recent changes on parking vs occupancy was 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit with a larger requirement for those buildings with multiple bedroom units. A most recently approved development on Wetherly Drive has 22 spaces for 79 units with an additional 7 spaces for a covenanted, adjacent church. Occupants of 55 units have no allowed space for vehicles except to take the problem to the neighborhood… Read more »
I wonder if this is part of a sinister plot to force people out of cars in favor of bicycles, scooters and public transport?
Yes!! Love the idea!
AMEN!!
The people will need free parking passes now that Chelsea, John E. and Sepi all voted to take away 56% of the parking on Willoughby, Gardner, and Vista!
and fountain too!
That Fountain project is going to cause nothing but problems…and cost us dearly at the same time.
All those Fountain Ave. residents who park on the street are going to spill over on the side streets, like the one I live on, and leave us with no place to park.
The Fountain project is going to negatively affect all of Weho. Just wait.
agreed.
They are hostile to cars and cops. They are hostile to reality. They are hostile to longtime residents. They are hostile people hiding behind a facade of faux progressivism that is in reality ideological brain rot.
Their ideology and ignorance,
All wrapped up with a tidy little bow,
Will hurt the people of West Hollywood
More than they now
Buyers Shyne and Erickson
Surely gotta go!!
(yes, it rhymes)
“know” not “now”
sorry for the typo (not sorry for misspelling Byers!)
We are the dupes in their social engineering schemes and they are loving every minute of it!
“hostile to cars”
Seriously, Alan? Just because we want to encourage people to take other modes of transportation and relieve the traffic congestion that plagues this city AND region?!
You are beyond delusional. The older generation who can barely bend down to tie their shoes wants to write policy on bike infrastructure- WHAT A JOKE.
Intellectually lazy people see public policy narratives as zero-sum games.
Yeah, you fit the bill. Your pompous attitude is a plague on this city.
Unmask from your anonymous perch of lazy superiority and engage in on-point civic discourse. Apparently someone elected you as not just the moral compass of the city, but now also the diagnostician of civic ailments of its residents. Grow a pair and engage me one on one over coffee. Dare.