HOUSTON — It could soon be harder to park for free in downtown Houston.
Houston City Council members are set to vote on a proposal Wednesday to extend parking meter hours.
Most of us have paid for street parking before, especially in places like downtown. Currently, you have to pay to park between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. After that, it's free. The proposal would make drivers pay until 2 a.m.
"Anywhere you see a parking meter in the City of Houston that's on a public street, this will apply to it," Edward Pollard said.
Pollard is the Houston City Council Member for District J. He and two other City Council members are banding together to change the ordinance. They want to extend the parking meter hours to generate more revenue for the city's general fund.
"We did not want to go up on the rates, but we knew we had to find creative ways to get additional revenue into the city. So instead of doing a rate of increase, we thought of doing an extension of period of time," Pollard said.
If approved, the proposal would impact parking meters across the city.
Pollard said that before the COVID pandemic, parking meters generated $10 million a year for the city. It dipped during the pandemic, but he said it's climbing again, generating $5 million last year. With the extension, he said he thinks they could double what they were making pre-pandemic.
"This isn't yesterday's Houston where downtown shuts down at 6 p.m. People are out and about it's vibrant, it's active, and we want to ensure we can capitalize on the revenue we can bring in," Pollard said.
Public reaction is mixed. Angel Rivera works downtown and commutes to and from for work.
"I think they're making enough money off of us during the hours that they charge us," he said.
He said the extra cost will likely make him think twice about enjoying the area after 6 p.m.
"So if I know there's an event going on downtown, having free parking after 6 p.m. is something I think about," he said.
Others said they understand the city's need to bring in more money.
"Who's for really paying extra when they don't have to? But if it is what it is then I'll support where needed," resident Thi Yu said.
Pollard said he's not worried about the extended hours deterring people from enjoying downtown. He said it will still be cheaper than using private parking lots and he hopes Houstonians will see the long-term benefits.
"This is going to be a small sacrifice made by many that will help the general fund get the dollars that's necessary to continue to bring forth the services that the residents deserve," Pollard said.
The vote is expected to take place on Wednesday.
Astros fans outside of Minute Maid Park weren't happy to hear about the proposal.
"It almost feels like highway robbery," one fan said. "I heard about them doing it ... that's really terrible for us ... how much more money do they need?"
Bars and restaurants downtown also expressed concerns. Several said they think the parking changes would hurt their businesses.
"I wish they wouldn't. It gets expensive enough already without having to pay for parking when they don't have to," Jordon Graves said.
Graves is a manager at Taste Kitchen and Bar.
"It'll add more expenses to us, especially establishments that stay open later during the day," Graves said.
Mayor John Whitmire issued this statement about the proposal:
"Under the City Charter, Council Members have a right to put an item on the City Council Agenda for consideration if three of them agree. I support their right to do it. In this case, three Council Members are playing an active role by introducing an idea to help bring additional revenue to the City. Such a privilege also comes with a duty to do more than present a good idea. I anticipate forthcoming conversations about data, analysis, and stakeholder engagement will help the other Council Members and I make an informed decision about whether this idea has merit. I welcome their ideas and will work with all council members. The council members must ensure they have strong public input and are aware of potential unintended consequences of any proposal."