Miami Beach Parking Rates Won't Increase After All

City commissioners repealed an ordinance that periodically hiked parking fees based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

By Naomi Feinstein

September 26, 2024

Miami Beach commissioners blocked the increased parking rates from going into effect. Photo by anouchka/Getty Images

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Following outrage from residents and commissioners, Miami Beach has nixed an automatic parking rate increase that city officials had announced last week.

On Thursday, September 19, the city rolled out a slew of parking rate changes that were scheduled to go into effect on October 1. Under the changes, resident parking rates would double from $1 per hour to $2 and street parking rates in the entertainment district would have increased from $4 to $6 per hour.

Residents and commissioners alike were caught off-guard by the news.

"It is a completely unnecessary increase, and it only burdens and makes our city less affordable for our residents, and we just need to stop it frankly," Commissioner Alex Fernandez told New Times not long after the announcement. "If you told me, you know, people are going to lose their jobs without this increase — but no, I mean we can function properly as a city. Our parking operations function properly without this."

In response, commissioners said they planned to introduce a resolution at the city's budget hearing to direct the administration not to implement the new rates.

The price hikes were a product of a 2019 ordinance that allows the city manager to adjust fees in the city every five years based on increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

At the city's budget hearing on Wednesday, September 25, the commission unanimously repealed the ordinance behind the automatic five-year CPI adjustment to parking fees and passed a resolution blocking the increase from going into effect.

Commissioners said the move is aimed at helping to mitigate the financial burden on the city's residents, its workforce, and visitors.

"The administration has determined that the repeal of the automatic five-year CPI adjustment for parking rates will reduce revenues by approximately $4.8 million in FY 2025-26 but will not impact the city's operational budget or affect the operations of the parking department," the resolution reads.

All members of the commission sponsored the two agenda items.

"It's not every day you see all seven of us sponsor legislation very quickly," Mayor Steven Meiner said from the dais.

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Naomi Feinstein is a staff writer of Miami New Times where she primarily focuses on news. Naomi started her career with New Times as an intern from June–August 2019, then worked as a fellow from August 2022 to February 2023 before joining the staff full-time. She graduated from University of Miami where she contributed to the student-run newspaper, The Miami Hurricane. She holds a master’s degree and graduated with honors from the Columbia School of Journalism. In 2021, Naomi was recognized as the College Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists of Florida, and she placed second for Best General News Story in the 2021 Pinnacle Awards.

Contact: Naomi Feinstein

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