New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attends a press conference at NYPD headquarters in New York City, U.S., January 6, 2026. REUTERS/Angelina Katsanis
(New York, New York) – New York City officials in Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration are discussing the possibility of charging drivers for street parking that is currently free, according to comments made by top City Hall leadership this week.
During a public event, First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan said the city is exploring whether to expand metered parking or introduce residential parking permits across more of New York’s curb space. When asked about charging for currently free on-street parking, Fuleihan said the idea is under consideration as part of broader budget discussions.
Right now, the overwhelming majority of New York City’s curbside parking remains free. Out of roughly three million on-street parking spaces citywide, only about 80,000 are metered, meaning most drivers do not currently pay to park on residential streets.
Policy groups have argued that expanding paid parking could generate significant revenue for the city. One proposal suggests that if New York City began charging for a portion of currently free parking spaces, it could raise hundreds of millions — potentially more than $1 billion annually depending on how widely the policy is implemented.
City officials say the conversations come as the administration looks for ways to address future budget pressures and fund transportation and infrastructure priorities.
