Boston's 'Space Saver' Season Sparks Parking Disputes

Residents guard shoveled spots with cones, chairs and warnings—sometimes with violent consequences.

Feb. 27, 2026 at 2:07am

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After record snowfall, Boston residents are using various objects like garbage cans, buckets, and cones to mark and protect the parking spots they've shoveled out, leading to disputes and even violence when others try to take the spots. The city allows residents to use 'space savers' for 48 hours after a snow emergency, but some are getting aggressive about defending their spots even after that period.

Why it matters

The 'space saver' tradition highlights the challenges Boston faces with limited parking and the tensions that arise when residents have to compete for scarce resources after major snowstorms. It also raises questions about the role of local government in regulating this practice and balancing individual property rights with community needs.

The details

Residents use a variety of objects like garbage cans, buckets, lawn chairs, and traffic cones to mark their shoveled parking spots and warn others not to take them. While the practice is technically legal for 48 hours after a snow emergency, some residents have become increasingly aggressive about defending their spots, leading to at least one violent incident where two people were stabbed in a dispute over a cleared space.

  • After the recent snowstorms that dumped over 17 inches of snow on Boston, residents undertook the big dig-out to clear their cars and parking spots.
  • Boston's mayor gives residents 48 hours to use 'space savers' after a snow emergency ends.
  • The deadline for removing 'space savers' from the streets was on February 27, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Michelle Wu

The mayor of Boston who allows residents to use 'space savers' for 48 hours after a snow emergency.

Enel Janvier

A Boston resident who was arrested and charged with assault after getting into a fight over a recently cleared parking spot.

Rick Simmons

A Boston resident who believes people should respect each other's shoveled parking spots and the 'space savers' used to mark them.

Delia Motavalli

A Boston resident who lives in the city with her fiancé and uses a bucket filled with snow to mark their shoveled parking spot.

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What they’re saying

“We respect each other's spot. If somebody puts something there, they're going to leave it.”

— Rick Simmons, Boston resident

“When Janvier refused, they got into a fight.”

— Boston police

“It was two storms weeks apart, and well over a foot of snow each time. Once my fiancé and I put in all that shoveling work, it would have been pretty sad to just lose the space to someone else after we drove to work.”

— Delia Motavalli, Boston resident

What’s next

The judge in Enel Janvier's assault case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow him out on bail.

The takeaway

The 'space saver' disputes in Boston highlight the challenges cities face in balancing individual property rights with community needs during major snowstorms. While the practice is technically legal for a limited time, the tensions it creates raise questions about the role of local government in regulating this tradition and promoting more equitable solutions for parking access.