Mayor Todd Gloria announced today that he is expanding free parking zones for residents of the City of San Diego in Balboa Park, adjusting the paid-parking program that the City launched last month. 

“Good governing also means listening. I’ve heard from residents and from members of the City Council about how this program is affecting San Diegans who love Balboa Park as much as I do. That feedback matters, and it’s why I am eliminating parking fees for City residents in select lots in the park,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. “This change will reduce revenue, and I have received a commitment from the City Council President as well as other councilmembers to identify other service-level reductions in order to keep the budget balanced.” 

With these changes, verified city residents will be able to park for free in the Pepper Grove, Federal, Upper Inspiration Point, Lower Inspiration Point, Marston Point, Palisades and Bea Evenson lots. Verified residents will still be charged to park in premium lots such as the Space Theater, Casa de Balboa, Alcazar, Organ Pavilion, and South Carousel lots. The cost is $5 for up to four hours or $8 for a full day.  

Parking rates for non-City of San Diego residents are unchanged and are listed on the City’s website.

Additionally, the Mayor has directed limiting parking enforcement to end at 6 p.m. rather than 8 p.m. 

These changes are anticipated to become effective on March 2. 

“Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee, Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, and I put forth a plan last week to restore free parking for city residents,” said Council President Joe LaCava. “Today, we achieved our goal, and I thank the Mayor for his quick action. We are delivering affordability, while protecting the park and City services.” 

“From the beginning, my priority has been keeping Balboa Park free and accessible for San Diegans, while asking visitors to pay their fair share to help maintain and improve the park we all treasure,” said Councilmember Elo-Rivera. “I appreciate Mayor Gloria listening to community concerns and acting to protect resident access, while also ensuring the City continues to exercise financial discipline.” 

The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership also advocated on behalf of park users to make modifications to the paid parking program. 

“The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership welcomes the Mayor and City Councilmembers’ recent steps to address the impacts of paid parking at Balboa Park. It’s clear the City is hearing the concerns of institutions, visitors, and supporters,” said Peter Comiskey, executive director of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership. “This is a start of movement in the right direction. Our board supports this as a first step and believes there is more that must be done to restore free parking for everyone. We will closely monitor the effects of this change to see whether, and how much, it reverses the dramatic decline in visitors. As conversations continue, we will remain engaged with City leaders and regional stakeholders to ensure Balboa Park remains welcoming and accessible to all who depend on and support it.”   

While the changes announced today provide a measure of relief to San Diego residents, they come at a cost to the City’s budget, which already faces a significant shortfall, not only for the next fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2026, but also the current fiscal year’s budget, which relied on revenue from the Balboa Park parking program that will not be fully realized. 

Last year, through targeted spending reductions and strategic revenue enhancements, Mayor Gloria and the City Council eliminated roughly 85 percent of the City’s longstanding structural budget deficit. But there’s more work ahead. 

“My commitment to fiscal responsibility is unwavering,” Mayor Gloria said. “I appreciate the willingness of councilmembers to roll up their sleeves and work alongside my administration as we embark on a difficult budget process for the coming fiscal year. Every decision I make is guided by what will best position San Diego for long-term success — showing the courage to act, listening when adjustments are needed, and staying disciplined with our finances so we can continue delivering core services and laying a stable foundation for future growth and prosperity.” 

So far, more than 3,000 San Diegans have registered to be verified for the program, and the City has collected nearly $700,000 for operations and maintenance in Balboa Park.