San Diego Drops Plan for Sunday Parking Fees

City Council backs off proposal to charge for parking on Sundays in downtown, Uptown and Mid-City areas.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 8:55pm

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The San Diego City Council has decided to drop a proposal to charge for parking on Sundays in the downtown, Uptown and Mid-City neighborhoods. The idea was met with immediate opposition from council members who felt it was unfair, especially to residents in less affluent areas. While the decision is a win for those against increasing fees, it also means the city is facing a $9.4 million budget deficit due to the expected revenue from the Sunday parking fees.

Why it matters

The Sunday parking fee proposal was part of the city's efforts to close budget deficits, but faced significant pushback from residents and council members who felt it unfairly targeted lower-income communities. The decision not to implement the fees means the city will have to find other ways to make up the lost revenue, potentially through service cuts or drawing from reserves.

The details

The proposal would have charged San Diego residents $141.50 annually to park in the downtown, Uptown and Mid-City neighborhoods on Sundays. The idea was approved in committee but met with immediate opposition from other council members who felt it was too broad and unfair, especially to residents in less affluent areas. A traffic study found Sunday had the highest parking occupancy rates in those neighborhoods, leading the city to believe charging for Sunday parking could improve turnover and generate revenue for neighborhood improvements.

  • The San Diego City Council discussed and ultimately dropped the Sunday parking fee proposal on January 28, 2026.
  • The city had included $1.4 million in expected revenue from the Sunday parking fees in its Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

The players

San Diego City Council

The governing body of the city of San Diego that voted to drop the proposal to charge for Sunday parking in certain neighborhoods.

Stephen Whitburn

A San Diego City Council member who chaired the committee that initially approved the Sunday parking fee proposal, but later said he preferred not to have paid parking on Sundays.

Joe LaCava

The San Diego City Council President who said the proposed $141.50 annual parking pass was too broad, as it would have charged the same price to residents in more affluent areas as those in less affluent areas.

Todd Gloria

The Mayor of San Diego whose office had negotiated the inclusion of the expected $1.4 million in Sunday parking fee revenue in the city's Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

Charles Modica

San Diego's independent budget analyst who warned that the loss of the expected Sunday parking fee revenue would need to be closed through cutting services or drawing down on reserves.

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What they’re saying

“I certainly prefer not to have paid parking on Sundays. I believe we should also reconsider the Balboa Park parking fees.”

— Stephen Whitburn, City Councilman

“People bend over backwards to help the biggest corporations and wealthiest people in the city when they need a favor.”

— Sean Elo-Rivera, City Councilman

“San Diego families are being hit from every direction — sales taxes, transfer taxes, payroll tax proposals, utility rate hikes, parking fees, trash fees, and more still being quietly developed behind closed doors. Taken together, it's a crushing burden, especially on working families and small businesses already stretched thin.”

— Jim Desmond, San Diego County Supervisor

What’s next

The Sunday parking fee proposal will head back to city staff for reworking, as no final action was taken by the City Council.

The takeaway

The decision not to implement Sunday parking fees in San Diego highlights the challenges cities face in balancing budgets and generating revenue without unfairly burdening lower-income residents. The city will need to find alternative ways to close its budget deficit, underscoring the difficult tradeoffs local governments must navigate.