Sausalito, just across the Bay from SF, has replaced attendants with pay stations in four parking lots. While embedded sensors monitor vehicle activity in the lots, residents are given a tag to hang in their vehicles providing 3 hours free parking.
Sausalito's conversion to pay stations for off-street parking could provide an example for cities to overcome some local opposition to conversion from free to fee parking by the generous perk it provides to its residents. Since the purpose of the parking program is not to be a cash cow, the perk may make sense. However, the Sausalito program involves only a change of revenue collection and enforcement, not ending free parking.
"The city did not purchase the new equipment with the objective to increase revenues - instead the city is committed to ensuring that its residents and other customers are well-served by the parking managed in the public interest, and that the costs of enforcement are proportionate to parking revenues," said Jonathon Goldman, director of public works.
"Residents are allowed to park for free for up to three hours between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. but have to hang a tag in their vehicles. Out-of-towners pay $1 to $3 an hour, depending on the parking lot."
Thanks to MTC Headlines
FULL STORY: Sausalito's new high-tech parking makes ticket writing easier

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Has President Trump Met His Match?
Doug Ford, the no-nonsense premier of Canada's most populous province, Ontario, is taking on Trump where it hurts — making American energy more expensive.

OKC Approves 7.2 Miles of New Bike Lanes
The city council is implementing its BikeWalkOKC plan, which recommends new bike lanes on key east-west corridors.

Preserving Houston’s ‘Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing’
Unsubsidized, low-cost rental housing is a significant source of affordable housing for Houston households, but the supply is declining as units fall into disrepair or are redeveloped into more expensive units.

The Most Popular Tree on Google?
Meet Rodney: the Toronto tree getting rave reviews.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland