We, the undersigned employees, residents, and community members in Hawthorne, urge the City to adjust the new paid parking pilot program.

On March 3, 2026, the City of Hawthorne announced a pilot program that will install paystations in several locations starting mid-April. The listed areas include:

Hawthorne Blvd (from El Segundo Blvd to Rosecrans Ave – both curbside and median)
Jack Northrop Ave (from Prairie Ave to Crenshaw Blvd)
129th and 130th Parking Lots (west of Hawthorne Blvd)
Jim Thorpe Park (southeast corner of 139th St and Prairie Ave)

While we understand the City’s goal is to increase parking turnover for retail customers and local businesses, many of these locations are used primarily by people who work in the area — not by shoppers or visitors.

These are not typical retail corridors full of consumer-facing stores. Large sections, especially along Jack Northrop Avenue and the 129th/130th parking lots, serve as daily parking for thousands of employees who work at nearby businesses. People do not come to these spots to shop — they park here because it is their workplace.

Because this is only a pilot program, now is the perfect time to make smart adjustments before it expands. We respectfully ask the Hawthorne City Council and Public Works Department to:

Review each location individually
Remove or modify paid parking in areas that are mainly used for long-term employee parking. Focus the pilot on true high-turnover retail zones where customer access is the real issue. Charging people to park at their workplace in non-retail areas wouldn’t not match the City’s stated purpose of helping local businesses and improving access for visitors. We ask to re-evaluate this area areas while considering others.

We value Hawthorne’s growth, but this pilot should not burden employees who work nearby every day. Please keep employee parking accessible in these locations.

Sign this petition and help protect practical parking for the people who work in our community.