San Francisco State University borders with 19th Avenue. As it has been for many decades, commuting students and staff would street park on both sides of 19th all day for free.
Fall 2026 semester started this week. On my usual walk to campus on 19th Avenue, I thought it was weird that there weren’t any cars parked to the sides. Typically at the beginning of the school year, the entire block would be filled with cars. Because who the heck wants to pay the $8 per day at the school parking lot?
So the complete lack of cars was baffling. Until I saw the newly installed street signage. What was once no limits - except for weekly street cleaning day, now has a four hour time limit on weekdays. This is absolutely diabolical, especially at a time when SF State enrollment continues on a downward trajectory. You’re making parking around campus more difficult too? Come on, man. What are we doing?
I get it; SFMTA - the parking overlords of San Francisco - is an agency in dire need of cash. A solid way to drum up funding is to further restrict street parking and give the meter maids something to do.
It must be said that SFMTA is also the city’s public transit agency, so I think it’s a fair trade to “punish” the private car owners in order to fund the really good public transportation we have around here. It’s not about fairness, it’s about civic duty. Having been in other American cities where public transport is poor at best, we San Franciscans should not take for granted there’s a bus line that can go to every part and corner of the city.
SF State attendees will now simply have to park one street further away than past yearsl: Junipero Sera.
There goes the neighborhood.