San Francisco resident exposes tactic to reserve street parking using tow away signs

A resident in San Francisco has revealed a tactic used to reserve free street parking in the city, the New York Post reported on October 20, 2026. Greg Long, a 56-year-old product designer, shared that he grew suspicious after seeing 14 no-stopping tow-away signs on his side of the street in the Presidio Heights neighborhood. According to the New York Post, the tactic allows individuals to pay around $350 a month out of pocket to place the official signs in front of their properties. [1]

The temporary signs effectively removed six out of eight parking spaces on that section of the street, according to the New York Post. Long shared a video showing that one of the tow-away signs remained posted on the street despite having expired in May. [1]

City officials have pushed back against claims that the process is widely abused. San Francisco Public Works officials stated that there is no evidence significant numbers of homeowners are attempting to game the parking system, the New York Post reported. [1]

California became the 31st state in the United States on September 9, 1850, following a gold rush that drove rapid settlement across the region. San Francisco remains one of the major urban centers within the state, which boasts a gross domestic product of $4.1 trillion. [5]