Over the next two years, Boston will replace its old parking meters with new ones connected to the internet. With this groundwork in place, pay-by-phone parking is the next step.

It's no secret that there is abundant space for urban parking innovation. Curt Woodward writes, "Researchers from MIT's Senseable City Lab, who have tested parking-spot-finder technology on the school's campus, say the average American spends about 50 hours per year just looking for parking, wasting fuel while increasing air pollution and traffic congestion."
In a step forward for the digital city, smart parking meters will spread across Boston over the next two years. From the article: "Boston already has rolled out a pilot program in the Back Bay neighborhood, called ParkBoston, that lets drivers pay for their metered spots with a smartphone app. San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles also have tested projects that tap into smartphone technology to make parking more convenient [...]"
Multiple start-ups are vying for the private parking market, and several more - like Boston's Haystack - have even tried to sell access to public spots. City officials and entrepreneurs alike seem confident Bostonians won't need those bags of quarters much longer.
FULL STORY: Boston to install “smart” parking meters across city, spreading pay-by-phone options

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
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