HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/7/2023 Item 6a, Cusick
Olivia Cusick <
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Parking
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Dear San Luis Obispo City Council,
My name is Olivia Cusick, an 18-year-old employee at a downtown restaurant. There is a parking lot next to my place of
work, but as most of my shifts are 6 - 8 hours long, paying 30 dollars for parking every day is ridiculous. I am also a
student, so I have other monetary issues to worry about. When I am not on the clock, I enjoy being downtown, but most
of my close friends avoid going there as much as possible, to avoid paying the fees. We can directly see that harming
local businesses, and if change is not done soon, it will only worsen.
Because I am unwilling to pay the fees to park in the parking lot closest to me, I am left with two options. One of which is
to find one of the limited spots that is free, which is often far away from work and dark. The other is to go to one of the
parking structures, specifically 871 Marsh, since I do not have the time during work to continuously update the app
every two hours, which is also far away and often in the dark.
Both options are less than ideal to begin with. But since I am a student, I mostly work nights. Walking to my car at 10:30
at night has caused several occasions where I have been catcalled, physically harassed, and in one case, actively chased
down the street. I know for a fact that I am not alone, but this parking situation is so much more than just people being
unable or unwilling to pay these high fees. This system is actively putting people like me in danger.
If something is not done, Downtown SLO will stop being a safe space.
Thank you for listening,
Olivia
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