Controversial Parking App Sets Sights on L.A.

• September 23rd 2014

by Lark Turner

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MonkeyParking, the parking app everybody loves to hate, is leaving San Francisco and heading for greener pastures in Santa Monica.

Earlier this year, San Francisco shuttered the app, which allows people leaving a public parking spot to auction off the privilege of parking there next. When the app was shut down, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said it was illegal, according to LA Weekly.

“Monkey Parking is facilitating and encouraging its users to enter unlawful agreements with each other, and misleading them into believing that their transactions are lawful,” Herrera wrote. “Also, Monkey Parking is facilitating and encouraging drivers to use cellphones and other wireless communication devices in a manner that distracts them, posing a safety hazard to the public and violating state laws that prohibit using cellphones and such other devices while driving.”

Despite some changes to the app targeting “malicious” users, Los Angeles doesn’t seem too excited about its arrival.

“They do not have ownership of the space,” Santa Monica’s parking administrator Frank Ching told the weekly. “That’s unlawful. That’s immoral. It’s no different from a street bum (who) stands on a space, waves someone in and asks for a tip.”

And by the way, that same thing happens right here in DC. A Reddit user got caught in a parking “helper” scam over the weekend near Dupont Circle. The user was “charged” $5 for the privilege of parking in a public spot, according to the post.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/controversial_parking_app_monkeyparking_sets_sights_on_santa_monica/9002.