DC Students Fight Repeal of Parking Law

On Tuesday, December 13, the DC City Council debated, Residential Parking Protection Act, a proposed law to repeal the student reciprocity exception for out-of-state drivers. While the Council argues a repeal of DC Code § 50-1401.02(e) would substantially reduce parking concerns around the city, it is, in reality, a discriminatory measure aimed to placate the concerns of residents living near universities.

Proponents of the repeal claim that many students park unfairly in neighborhoods near universities, preventing residents living there from parking on streets near their homes. They argue that, by taking away the reciprocity exception, which allows students to obtain residential parking permits, will reduce parking congestion on DC’s streets.

Under the current law, if a student has a vehicle registered out of state and rents an off campus apartment somewhere in the District of Columbia, he or she can pay a $338 fee to receive reciprocity and a permit to park in the area near where their home is located. Currently 892 full-time students as defined by the student’s educational institution, including undergraduate, law, medical, and graduate students, fit this criteria and opt into this program. As renters, these students are taxpaying members of the community and only seek the same opportunities to live and work in DC that all other residents have. Repealing the reciprocity exception, which is annually renewable, would take away revenue from the city, subject 892 full-time students to higher personal car insurance rates, and deny students the ability to realistically live across the District of Columbia.

Some proponents cite parking congestion caused by university students, faculty, and staff as cause for revoking reciprocity exceptions. Revoking reciprocity will not reduce these parking infractions in any significant way. These outside parkers would not qualify for a RPP permit and therefore are already illegally parking in neighborhoods near universities. Restricting the ability of legal residents to park near their homes based solely on their status as a student is discriminatory and goes to no realistic or practical ends.

The proposed bill is currently before the DC City Council. Please sign our petition at:

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/oppose-the-residential-parking-protection-act-of-2011.html

Tell the DC City Council that we will not tolerate the discrimination of students. We will not be used as scapegoats to placate the public in a feigned attempt to address serious community concerns.