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'Monkey Parking' App Lets San Francisco Drivers Desperate For Parking Pay Others For Their Space

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— San Francisco drivers have long been frustrated spending countless minutes trying to find a parking space, but a new app called 'Monkey Parking' allows drivers to buy a spot from someone who's already in it.

On Chestnut Street in the Marina, you need a lot more than parking karma to find a spot. One woman driving around said it's a desperate situation and that drivers do what they have to do.

So here's how it works the driver of a car, already parked in a busy neighborhood, connects with someone using the app who is in that dire situation of needed a parking spot. The one searching for a spot shows up and pays up to $20 to take over their location.

'Monkey Parking' App Lets Drivers Desperate For Parking Pay Others For Their Space

Some said this would lead to parking-space squatters. Others said 'bring it on'. One mom said she'd use Monkey Parking because with her kids, sometimes you need to be able to pop in and out of a space.

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According to the city, there's half a million parking spots for a city of 750,000 people then the tens of thousands of visitors each day need to be factored in making for one hairy situation.

Others thought the $20 price tag would be a bit of a stretch considering that's what drivers pay for parking at a football game, arguing that $10 sounded more reasonable.

The City of San Francisco isn't sure if it's a good idea or even legal. The City Attorney's Office told the San Francisco Chronicle it is investigating whether MonkeyParking's business model of making a profit off public space is legal.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency spokesman Paul Rose also told the Chronicle officials are also looking into concerns about the parking app.

 

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