My conversations with community associations, apartment complexes, and resort property decision-makers regularly go two different ways. They are proactively engaged in optimizing their parking asset, or they are reactive based on the feedback of their community. The majority are reactive and, quite frankly, once we’ve spoken, are surprised at the capability and value RISETEK provides. Below is a question I hear regularly:
“I’m responsible for a multi-family community with residents who constantly complain there is no parking available. What is the best way to manage our parking to eliminate the situation?”
The first objective is to fully listen to the current parker experiences. Asking questions about the parking rules & regulations they’ve established over the years to manage their parking asset. Understanding the parking nuances unique to each property is essential in creating a successful parking program. Out of the top five things the Community Manager or Board of Directors want to do each day, managing the community parking asset, resident parking or guest registration isn’t on the list!
Generally, I’ll find the community has a hap hazard vehicle “permitting” sticker/hangtag program on an excel file or even a paid “permitting software”. The visual cues in determining if a vehicle is unpermitted to park within the community is valid, however add visitors or guests to the mix and the administration of the program becomes a nightmare, not only for the property manager but the parker experience as well. Resident buys a new vehicle or has a rental, they lost their hang tag maybe even gave it to a friend so they can park their extra vehicle on property, the windshield sticker came off in the car wash not to mention how does a visitor receive a “visitor hangtag” after office hours, the list of challenges and chaos goes on and one.
Inevitably the following questions need to be defined by the community, in no particular order:
- Are they amendable to implementing technology to automate the majority of their parking operation?
- How many parking spaces vs number of doors (apartments, townhouses, etc)?
- Is the community actively looking to monetize the parking asset or generate additional revenue over and above the current program?
- Is knowing when an unregistered, unpermitted or unpaid vehicle is on property important to you?
- Are they committed to enforcing unauthorized parkers or parking violations?
- Is safety an important factor within the community?
The answers to these simple questions will provide the insight on the community’s commitment (Board of Directors, Property Management Company) to resolving the negative parker experience which will determine the scope of the solution we recommend their community.
Below is a case use for a community association experiencing parking availability challenges utilizing a portion of RISETEK’s smart parking technology. As you’ll read there is tremendous flexibility for a community to customize their parking guidelines within RISETEK’s intelligent technology solutions to fit the exacting need of the community association, apartment complex or resort property.
First is to determine the allowable number of vehicles per unit within the community. For a rental community, one (1) vehicle per number of bedrooms in the unit has been a successful indicator. For resort properties, the guideline may be one (1) vehicle per unit included with a second vehicle at an additional cost. At communities with a heavy VRBO/Airbnb presence a daily fee for one (1) vehicle only.
Resident Permit Parking: RISETEK’s permitting software is a cloud-based, digital parking management system that offers a flexible self-serve platform to manage community parking permitting. The technology allows for the license plate to be the permit credential rather than a hang tag, sticker, key fob, etc which are nightmares to manage. Installing Fixed LPR (license plate recognition) technology at the community access points will provide “real time” & historical data of vehicles on property.
The two technology platforms are integrated so when a permitted parker enters the community the LPR software recognizes the license plate as a permitted parker. Conversely, if an unpermitted or unpaid parker stays within the community and exceeds the “grace period” a real time violation notification can be sent to the association, community manager or patrol, enforcement, towing companies to warn, ticket or tow the unpermitted parker. The “grace period” may be 15 minutes, a half hour, an hour or whatever timeframe the administration feels comfortable allowing unpermitted/unpaid parkers onsite (resident deliveries, FEDEX, UPS, Uber, Lyft, etc).
Visitor parking: The technology also integrates with mobile payment systems where visitors are required to register & pay for their parking within the community. If they don’t fund their parking before the expiration of the grace period, the vehicle would be in violation with a notification being sent.
The solution provides the ability to automate, optimize and monetize the parking asset while compiling real time/historical data of vehicles onsite. While not initially a goal of a parking program the technology also adds a layer of safety within the community as the data captured helps reduce vandalism or theft. The solution allows for the capability to add additional revenue by implementing issuance of tickets to unpaid or unpermitted vehicles or even immobilizing or towing repeat offenders to change future behavior.
About the RISETEK Expert: Garrett Hofeld, Vice President of Sales
About the RISETEK Expert: Garrett Hofeld, Vice President of SalesGarrett is responsible for strategic sales and marketing initiatives throughout RISETEK. He also focuses on developing strategic partnerships which extend our reach into new and developing markets while organically cultivating leads to meet and exceed annual enterprise goals. Garrett has more than thirty years of experience and a proven history of success in real estate, construction, and manufacturing markets as a small business owner, business development executive, manufacturing operations leader, and marketing specialist. He also holds a BA in Marketing Management from Concordia University, St. Paul, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Are you interested in learning more about how to improve parking availability and other occupancy solutions for your operation? Contact RISETEK or email us at sales@risetekglobal.com to find out how we can help.