Starting Wednesday, enforcement for parking violations in San Francisco will step up, and drivers will want to know what parking enforcers are targeting.
A couple of general tips to start with: Make sure to keep the meter fed and pay attention to signs because there typically isn’t just one rule for all parking spaces.
City officials say there will be a focus to crack down on vehicles that block sidewalks and crosswalks, both of which need to be clear for pedestrians to use them safely. The department is staffed to target these vehicles, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
SFMTA Director Jeffrey Tumlin spoke last month about parking behavior in the city since the pandemic.
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"Given the scarcity of parking control officers that we faced for several years, there are people who think that the rules don’t exist," Tumlin said.
One parking control officer said the crackdown likely is going to make a lot of people unhappy when they see that citation.
"It puts a target on our back; we definitely plan on seeing the aggression from the public to come out with that message," he said, adding that officers already face aggression from upset drivers.
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Parking tickets for blocking a pedestrian crossing or residential parking can range from over $80 to $100 for each citation depending on the violation.
On top of regular enforcement, each supervisor district can expect a weeklong sweep every three months.
