PETITION TO THE CITY OF GALVESTON
Subject:
Request for Fair Street Parking Policy for Residents and Workers

To:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Galveston
823 Rosenberg Street, Floor 2
Galveston, TX 77550
P.O. Box 779
Galveston, TX 77553

NOTE TO SIGNERS:
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INSTAGRAM @galvestonpassproject

Residents and workers in Galveston are being unfairly penalized by paid parking policies that make it harder to live and work in our own city. We're calling on the City to adopt a resident and worker parking pass program-and rethink how paid parking works in our neighborhoods.

We, the undersigned residents and workers of Galveston, respectfully petition the City to re-evaluate its current paid street parking policies.

As individuals who live and work in Galveston-not just as visitors, but as full-time residents, employees, and contributors to the local economy-we believe the existing system unfairly burdens the very people who help keep the city running year-round.

We are not asking for special treatment-we are asking for fair, reasonable access to the city we live and work in every day. Paid parking may make sense for tourism, but applying the same rules to residents and workers creates an unnecessary hardship that undermines local loyalty, workforce morale, and community stability.

Our Request:

We ask that the City of Galveston consider implementing one or both of the following options:

1. A Residential and Local Worker Parking Pass Program
Create an accessible and affordable parking permit program for full-time residents and individuals who work within the city limits. This could allow pass holders to park in designated zones without daily meter payments or ticket risk.

This program would not only ease financial pressure on residents, but also encourage a sense of civic pride, reduce violations, and foster stronger cooperation between the public and enforcement agencies.

2. Targeted Re-Evaluation of Paid Parking Zones
Reassess areas with high concentrations of local workers or residential density and determine whether paid parking is truly necessary-or if it can be reduced or eliminated during non-peak tourism seasons.

This approach would balance the city's revenue goals with its duty to protect the quality of life for year-round residents and workers. We believe there are smarter ways to manage parking than punishing locals with daily fees or repeat fines.

Why This Is Important:

* Parking costs disproportionately impact working-class residents, hospitality staff, service workers, and other essential community members.
* Other Texas cities-such as Austin, Houston, and San Antonio-have successfully implemented resident/employee parking zones. Galveston should do the same.
* Supporting local residents and workers will strengthen the city's long-term economic health and community trust.

Galveston is not just a tourist destination-it's our home and workplace. Paid parking policies that ignore this fact send the message that the city values visitors over its own people. That message needs to change.

Additional Concern: Enforcement vs. Investment

We further note with concern that the City has chosen to allocate resources to hire outside legal firms to pursue residents over unpaid parking violations-while failing to meaningfully address many of the city's long-standing infrastructure, housing, and environmental problems. This raises serious questions about the City's priorities.

If the City can dedicate funding and legal contracts to enforce parking fines, it can also take action on the following urgent issues:

Environmental Challenges
* Coastal erosion has already stripped over 100 yards of beach in some areas.
* Galveston is sinking, and sea-level rise is happening at twice the global average.
* Chronic downtown flooding persists due to inadequate drainage systems.
* Microplastic pollution, industrial runoff, and toxic fish warnings are ongoing.

Housing & Homelessness
* Over 400 people are homeless in Galveston County, with limited shelter options.
* More than half of public housing destroyed by Hurricane Ike remains unreplaced.
* The City has not implemented meaningful affordable housing requirements or protections against displacement.

Road Conditions & Infrastructure
* Streets in working-class neighborhoods are potholed, cracked, and often flooded.
* No transparent road maintenance schedule or infrastructure accountability exists.
* Flood-prone areas still rely on sandbags and temporary DIY protections.

Emergency Preparedness Gaps
* Galveston lacks a permanent city-led emergency response team.
* Resilience hubs, evacuation shelters, and localized disaster plans are underdeveloped.
* Disaster recovery often depends on delayed federal support-not proactive local investment.

Lack of Transparency and Accountability
* There is no public dashboard to track progress on housing, infrastructure, or climate readiness.
* Many public meetings lack timelines, metrics, or measurable goals.
* Tourism funds are disproportionately spent on beautification and commercial zones-not resident needs.

The people who live and work in Galveston deserve a City government that responds to their needs first-not one that prioritizes enforcement over empathy.

And so we must ask:
How is it that Galveston has the money to hire law firms to go after its own residents... but not enough to fix its flooding, housing shortages, or crumbling roads?

If the City can fund legal threats over parking tickets, it can-and should-fund the basic necessities that affect public health, safety, and dignity.
Until that happens, the message is clear: enforcement is a priority. Residents and workers are not.

That needs to change.

NOTE: A formal open records request has been filed with the City of Galveston seeking detailed financial records and discussions related to parking enforcement contracts, tourism-related spending, local infrastructure deferrals, and budget priorities. All findings will be made public once received.

NOTE: A separate public information request has been submitted to determine how much the City of Galveston has paid to Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP—a private law firm contracted to collect parking ticket fines. The results will be made public upon release.

Sources & Citations

• - Houston Chronicle – 'Jamaica Beach is getting $5M of new sand' (2025)
• - AS USA – 'Galveston is sinking at an alarming rate' (2025)
• - Galveston Daily News – 'Public housing still not fully rebuilt post-Ike'
• - Texas Tribune – 'Texas eviction rates climbing despite voucher programs'
• - Galveston City Infrastructure Planning Minutes – May 2025 meeting notes
• - Turtle Island Restoration Network – Gulf Coast microplastics campaign
• - Galveston Office of Emergency Management – 2024-2025 budget overview
• - KPRC Houston – 'Sinkhole swallows vehicle on Galveston street' (2024)
• - City of Galveston Public Works – Street repair FAQs and pothole reporting portal
• - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Coastal Texas Protection & Restoration Study (Ike Dike project)