SPOT SJ

The City of San Jose has 1.9 million existing parking spaces, yet the impression that parking is hard to find keeps planners from prioritizing space for people over space for car storage. That blocks options that would create a more affordable, inclusive, and vibrant city.

SPOT SJ (Smart Parking for Optimal Transportation in San Jose) is a groundbreaking partnership to use new parking tech tools to make more efficient use of existing spaces, create more vibrant streets, reduce the cost of housing, increase transportation options, and reduce car traffic and GHG emissions.

Leveraging underutilized parking to free space on San Jose streets for biking and walking

We believe that a strategy centered on deep community engagement that equips local groups and individuals with the tools needed to support parking reform is a powerful approach to achieving equitable parking reform in the city of San Jose and could provide a national model for best practices.

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Transform leads a collaborative effort

The core initiative consists of three nonprofits:

Catalyze SV focuses on outreach with housing developers and building managers and plays a key role in the adoption of Parkade in the City of San Jose. Catalyze SV is also leading engagement efforts with the community and other community-based organizations.
The San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) focuses on outreach with local businesses, a group that needs support to make San Jose thrive and has historically had strong concerns that less parking will be a barrier to clients visiting their establishments.
SPUR brings deep expertise in housing, land use, and transportation, as well as key relationships within the city of San Jose. It participates in our effort to connect with staff and planners on the creation and implementation of local plans.

Goals and Impacts

Less parking = more affordable homes

Reduce excess parking through tools like Parkade and separate the cost of parking from rent to provide homes at more affordable prices and so residents without cars don’t pay for parking they don’t use.

Activate downtown spaces and support local businesses

Improve the use of street space, with more outdoor dining, events, effective public transit, green space, and other things that make our community more attractive for guests and residents alike.

Draw people downtown

Support local businesses and commercial developments with new tools that minimize searching or circling for parking and make it easy to find street parking.

SPOT SJ Projects

SPOT SJ encompasses an expanding list of projects that further the goal of creating a more livable, less car-centric vision for downtown San Jose.

Reimagining Santa Clara

We’re engaging with San Jose staff on their Reimagining Santa Clara Street project, using Parknav as a tool to understand parking demand and engage the community. Together, we can again make Santa Clara Street a destination and a great transit and biking corridor.

Parkade Action Plan

We’re expanding the use of Parkade, a powerful tool to help make much more efficient use of parking lots, whether residential or office.

Local Business Outreach

We’re working with the San Jose Downtown Association to survey local businesses, see what issues they are facing, and develop solutions to parking issues — which are often due to incomplete information for customers and businesses alike.