Levi's Stadium Neighborhood Turns Parking Into Currency

Residents of Agnew, a community near the 49ers' stadium, have found a way to profit from their proximity to the venue.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 7:47pm

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The Agnew neighborhood in Santa Clara, California, located just south of Levi's Stadium, has become a hub for parking-related entrepreneurship since the stadium's opening in 2014. Residents like Steven Nguyen and Mathew Ramelb have found ways to monetize their homes' close proximity to the stadium, offering parking spots, garages, and even their own homes as short-term rentals on game days and for other major events. While the city has tried to regulate this activity, the lure of easy money has proven difficult for some residents to resist.

Why it matters

The Agnew neighborhood's transformation highlights the impact that major sports venues can have on surrounding communities. As the 49ers' home, Levi's Stadium has created both challenges and opportunities for local residents, who must balance quality of life concerns with the potential financial benefits of catering to stadium-goers. This story also touches on broader issues of urban development, the gig economy, and the tensions that can arise when private interests intersect with public spaces.

The details

Agnew residents like Nguyen and Ramelb have found ways to profit from their proximity to Levi's Stadium, offering parking spots, garages, and even short-term rentals to fans looking to avoid the stadium's official parking lots. While the city has tried to regulate this activity through a neighborhood parking permit system, the lure of easy money has proven difficult for some residents to resist. Some charge as much as $50 for a parking spot, undercutting the stadium's official lots which can cost $60-$80 or more for big events.

  • Levi's Stadium opened in 2014.
  • The 49ers played their first seasons in Santa Clara in the mid-2010s.

The players

Steven Nguyen

A 31-year-old Agnew resident who has lived in the neighborhood since he was 5 years old. He offers parking spots and garage space to stadium-goers for a fee.

Mathew Ramelb

An Agnew resident who has lived in the neighborhood since the mid-2000s, when he was in the first grade. He allows his friends to park at his house for free during 49ers games, though they sometimes buy him a drink in return.

City of Santa Clara

The local government that has tried to regulate parking and other issues in the Agnew neighborhood through a 'Neighborhood Protection Detail' that patrols the area on event days.

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What they’re saying

“We know the roads to take to avoid all the traffic jams, so a lot of times, when telling people to come over, it's like, 'Hey, don't take this main road, take these side roads.' I tell them, 'You can park in my garage, I'll park on the street.' I have the little sticker from the city that says, 'I live here, don't tow me, don't ticket me.'”

— Steven Nguyen (SFGATE)

“When I invite my friends over, they definitely can just see it when they park, and they're always shocked.”

— Mathew Ramelb (SFGATE)

What’s next

The city of Santa Clara plans to continue monitoring the Agnew neighborhood and enforcing its parking permit system to address concerns from residents about the impact of stadium events.

The takeaway

The Agnew neighborhood's transformation highlights the complex relationship between major sports venues and the communities that surround them. While Levi's Stadium has created economic opportunities for some residents, it has also led to quality of life challenges that the city is still working to address through regulation and enforcement.