A San Francisco resident has drawn attention to a little-known way to reserve free street parking in one of the country’s most crowded parking markets — and his neighbors are not pleased.
Greg Long, a 56-year-old product designer, said on social media that he became suspicious after counting 14 “no stopping” tow-away signs along his side of the street in Presidio Heights.
The signs had eliminated six of the neighborhood’s eight parking spaces, Long said. He also posted video showing one tow-away sign that remained in place even though its permit had expired in May.
Long said he discovered that residents can pay roughly $350 a month to place one of the signs outside their homes and effectively reserve the curb space. The permit requires an $851 application fee, followed by a monthly charge of $209 for each 20 feet of curb.
After asking the city’s Public Works department about the signs, Long was told the agency lacks the resources to monitor permit activity systematically, although it can investigate complaints.
“This is a system that’s easy to abuse,” Long said. “It’s simple to pull a street permit, you need no documentation, and enforcement comes only when your neighbor complains.”
According to the city’s website, these temporary street-space permits are generally intended to support construction work at private residences. That can include relatively minor projects, such as landscaping and other building repairs.
Public Works pushed back on the suggestion that residents are widely exploiting the process. In a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle, the department said, “we have no reason to believe it’s a rampant issue.”
The agency approved about 8,600 tow-away sign permits last year, and the Chronicle reported that it expects to issue a similar number this year.
Public Works said it welcomes complaints. If a permit holder violates the rules and refuses to correct the problem, the resulting fines can reach as much as $1,000 per day.
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Even so, Long’s video appeared to reinforce long-standing suspicions among residents who have grown frustrated by the number of tow-away signs occupying San Francisco parking spaces.
“2900 Jackson Street (at Broderick) has been under construction since I moved into the neighborhood in 2005,” one commenter claimed.
Another user wrote, “Becoming a huge issue in Presidio Heights. Trying to park during the day?… University High and construction sign on 70% of the blocks… forget about it!!”
The issue also attracted the attention of city officials. Supervisor Stephen Sherrill told Long that he had checked the dates displayed on an expired sign near his home.
“A lot of people are sneaky,” Sherrill said. “They leave their signs up after they expire, so take a look at those dates.”
San Francisco’s parking shortages — along with allegations that residents manipulate the rules to secure curb space — have sparked complaints for years. In 2024, a viral Reddit post described one case in which a neighbor allegedly put up a homemade “no parking” sign.
Long said his goal is ultimately to make more residents aware of how the permit system works.
“Part of what I’m doing is just showing people like, ‘Hey, let’s just try to be neighborly – if your sign’s done, take it down,’” he told the Chronicle. “Don’t try and abuse this loophole.”