The Joy of Parking, San Francisco (Overnight Edition)

March 18, 2014 5:59 PM

Where can I park my car this weekend while housesitting in Noe Valley? I don't mind a walking distance I just need a place to park my car from Friday night to Sunday afternoon where it will be safe and not piss off the neighborhood. Does that even exist? It will be our little secret..
posted by loquat to Travel & Transportation around San Francisco, CA (13 answers total)

In my San Francisco parking area, a permit is required Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. I don't know if all the parking areas have the same hours; you might ask the people you're housesitting for. It's possible that you'll be able to park right close by. People in the neighborhood aren't going to know whose car doesn't "belong," and even if they see you, they're not going to care. Parking is pretty tight in the area, but spaces can be found if you circle the blocks for a long enough time.

If it turns out you need to be parked during the hours of parking restrictions, you can check this map (PDF) to see if the area just to the west or south would work out for you. Noe Valley is mostly in area Z -- blow up the map to see street names.
posted by wryly at 6:40 PM on March 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

On the street? You might have to hunt for a spot for a bit, but it certainly is doable. Most of SF's 2 hour resident parking restriction are Monday-Friday daytime only. Just double-check the signs, as a special few do apply on Saturday. You'll find parking meters adjacent to businesses, but no meters in more residential areas, generally just a block or two away.

Alternatively, does the house in question have a garage (not shared with someone who isn't out of town)? Even if it's full and not available to you, you can park parallel to it, blocking it. Don't pull in and park blocking the sidewalk (you'll probably get a ticket).

As long as you don't block someone's driveway or park in the middle of two spaces, nobody is going to be pissed off at you for parking legally on the street.
posted by zachlipton at 6:43 PM on March 18, 2014

On Noe St., up on the hill, so south of like... 26th. Some of the streets perpendicular to Noe in that area may work too, but read the signs carefully.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 6:47 PM on March 18, 2014

Some residential areas have permit parking and some don't, and each zone has different regulations. When I lived in Nob Hill, the whole area was permit parking Mon-Sat, you could only park for 2 hours without a permit. Some neighborhoods don't enforce permit parking on Saturdays. I am not sure what the exact boundaries of Noe Valley are but it looks like you could find non-permitted parking not to far away. Just check the signs really carefully!

Also don't block a driveway, that's an easy way to get towed.
posted by radioamy at 7:33 PM on March 18, 2014

Potrero Hill
posted by amileighs at 7:44 PM on March 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

park it out in the avenues near the l-taraval or n-judah lines, take the streetcar in to church street and walk to your weekend squat.
posted by bruce at 7:48 PM on March 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

Noe Valley does not have residential street parking permit areas, so really, it's whatever you can find on the street. Just avoid the meters, which mostly run along 24th and a bit north and south of it.

You should be able to find something without too much trouble if you're willing to walk a few blocks.
posted by jasper411 at 8:12 PM on March 18, 2014

Noe Valley does have permit areas, but they're all 8am-6pm Monday-Friday, and it's 2 hour non-permit parking during those hours so you are safe from 4pm Friday onward. So, basically, you should just park as close to where you're staying as you can. And not in front of a driveway.
posted by Hello, Revelers! I am Captain Lavender! at 9:47 PM on March 18, 2014 [2 favorites]

I have no idea why people are suggesting Potrero Hill or the Avenues. Weekend parking in Noe is not like, I dunno, trying to park in the middle of Union Square. Just read the parking signs and don't block anybody's driveway!
posted by rtha at 6:47 AM on March 19, 2014 [3 favorites]

As folks have noted, because it's a weekend it's a lot simpler. But for completeness sake... On a weekday, park on the street on a block that doesn't require a permit. Here's an interactive map of parking permit zones, and here's the city site about parking permits. Here's detailed parking rules in SF.

A useful heuristic for non-permit spots in Noe Valley is "not near 24th or Church Street". "Up the hill" also usually works. There is a 72 hour limit to all parking in SF, but in practice that's not enforced unless a neighbor calls. The 2 hour residential permits are enforced by license plate scanning equipment.
posted by Nelson at 9:55 AM on March 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

I heard the intersection of Spear and Howard, or anywhere with less residential/retail space and more office, is a good bet. Might be a walk though.
posted by tenlives at 5:45 PM on March 19, 2014

If you're willing to spend money to not have to worry about it at all, there's a safe and reliable parking garage at 22nd and Valencia.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/mission-and-bartlett-garage-san-francisco-2
posted by pocketfullofrye at 8:58 PM on March 19, 2014

You can also get a temporary parking permit, with some assistance from your friends for whom you are housesitting.
posted by gingerbeer at 8:21 PM on March 20, 2014