Better parking system needed in downtown San Bruno

Contrary to what some officials may suggest, the problem isn’t a lack of parking spaces — it’s that fewer and fewer people are coming downtown at all. Why? Because the overly complicated, glitchy parking kiosks and harsh enforcement are actively deterring them.

Many of our patrons, especially seniors or those unfamiliar with digital payment systems, struggle to navigate the kiosks or app-based systems. Some simply give up and leave. Others return to their cars only to find a citation for a system they couldn’t figure out in the first place. It feels less like a tool for managing traffic flow and more like a trap to generate revenue. In fact, we’ve learned that nearly half of the parking program’s revenue comes from citations. That is not a sustainable or community-minded approach — it’s predatory. Many San Bruno residents are simply protesting coming downtown out of pure principle.

We’ve brought these concerns to city leadership repeatedly, offering feedback and asking for solutions like simpler payment options, better signage or at least a grace period before ticketing. But we continue to be ignored. Our businesses — many of which have served San Bruno for decades — are being punished by a system designed without our input and maintained without accountability.

The current system is harming downtown commerce, alienating customers and fueling frustration among long-standing business owners who are doing everything they can to stay afloat. We urge the city to stop dismissing our concerns and start engaging with us as partners in revitalizing our downtown — before it’s too late.

Rebecca Molano

South San Francisco

The letter writer is the founder of the San Bruno Merchants Association and wrote this on its behalf.