Free parking, free transit for Chinese New Year parade Saturday

Reporting from CHINATOWN

As San Francisco celebrates Lunar New Year and the Year of the Dragon, the city is offering free parking in a Chinatown garage and free transit service on the day of the Chinese New Year Parade.

Motorists have been offered free two-hour parking in the Portsmouth Square Garage everyday this month, and free Muni service will offered on Saturday, Feb. 24, the day of the parade.

The funding to provide the free parking and Muni service comes from legislation that Supervisor Connie Chan proposed at the Board of Supervisors meeting, which includes using $500,000 from excess funds raised by the city related to last year’s Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation conference. The proposal originally requested for $250,000 but will increase to $500,000.

Not all of the $500,000 will be spent to provide free parking and Muni service.

Robyn Burke, a legislative aide to Chan, said the funding will also support deploying community ambassadors in Chinatown. Another $2 million from the legislation will create a relief fund to support South of Market businesses that were impacted by street closures related to APEC.

The proposal will be heard at the board’s Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday.

Chan said at a press conference earlier this month in the front of the Portsmouth Square Garage entrance:

“We know that this is not just going to bring visitors and tourists to Chinatown, we’re all going to bring our families and friends back to Chinatown, to shop Chinatown and love Chinatown.”

Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin, who represents Chinatown and was born in the Year of the Dragon, said the Chinese New Year Parade is one of the“greatest shows”in the city with thousands of tourists who come from all over the country to experience the parade and festivities.

Peskin added:

“We are going to make that money back as hundreds of thousands of people come here and shop and dine in Chinatown and experience the Lunar New Year San Francisco style.”

Lydia So, who sits on the SFMTA Board of Directors, said:

“I really hope that with the free Muni on the parade day, the two hours of free parking will be a very great way to entice everyone to come to Chinatown to drink, eat and have fun.”

In 2022, Chan and the SFMTA provided a similar offering to the public visiting Chinatown while working with community groups and former SFMTA board Director Sharon Lai.

Several events are lined up throughout the city this month in celebration of the Lunar New Year, which was on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Chinese Chamber of Commerce is currently displaying large, colorful dragon statues citywide, including at Chinatown-Rose Pak station and Union Square.