Release #492-99

Contact:	Sunny Mindel/ Edward Skyler	(212) 788-2958
	Michael Haberman	(212) 487-4407 (DCA)
	Jennifer Chait	(212) 720-3225 (DCP)

Guide Includes Maps, Prices, and Addresses for More Than 800 Off-Street Parking Facilities

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today released the City's first Parking Guide. A joint effort between the Department of Consumer Affairs and the City Planning Commission, the 49-page guide lists prices, addresses and important telephone numbers for City-licensed off-street parking facilities operating below 72nd Street in Manhattan. The Mayor was joined by Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jules Polonetsky and City Planning Chair Joseph B. Rose for the announcement at Union Square Park.

"This parking guide is coming out just in time to help ease congestion during this holiday season," Mayor Giuliani said. "Not only will it help the flow of traffic on our streets, it will also help consumers get all the information they need to make educated choices about where to park. The City's website, www.nyc.gov, already features a citywide guide and will soon be enhanced with interactive features."

Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jules Polonetsky said, "Consumers can always save by shopping around. But it can be difficult to find the best price without knowing where the garages closest to businesses offering the best prices are. Now, with the help of this Parking Guide, tourists and residents will have all the information they need to choose the best parking facility."

City Planning Chairman Joseph B. Rose said, "Getting cars off the street will make life easier for all New Yorkers. Traffic will flow better because drivers will not have to wander like nomads in search of a suitable parking lot."

The guide includes full-color maps so drivers can choose a garage based on their destination. The information in the guide was compiled from the Department of Consumer Affairs' records. Although the garage prices are not regulated by Consumer Affairs, they must be filed with DCA. Garage owners must also give notice to DCA 60 days before changing prices.

The guide has already been posted at www.nyc.gov/planning. The website will soon be able to post the locations of off-street parking facilities, their respective rates and additional information on nearby destinations. The prices will be updated on a regular basis after they are filed DCA. City Planning is also looking at installing variable message signs in key locations that will contain real-time information and direct drivers to parking facilities with available spots.

During the announcement, Commissioner Polonetsky offered the following tips to people who use public parking facilities:

• All public parking facilities must have a Consumer Affairs License. Before leaving your car, check signs near the entrance. If a license is not posted, ask the attendant if they are licensed. Exempted from this rule are parking facilities run by the City and those located in residential buildings that rent spaces exclusively to residents. These facilities do not have to be licensed.
• Check the rate sign near the entrance before pulling all the way into the lot. City regulations require that prices be posted on a sign near the entrance so that you can decide if the price is right before you leave your vehicle.
• Inspect your car before leaving the lot. If you leave the garage without inspecting your car, damages to your vehicle will be much more difficult to prove. If you believe the car has been damaged, ask the attendant for a claim form. In addition, get a police report whenever possible.
• Try to resolve any disputes with the garage owner or manager. If you cannot resolve the dispute, you can file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website: www.nyc.gov/consumers or by calling (212) 487-4444.

The Parking Guide can be obtained by downloading it from the website, www.nyc.gov/consumers or by sending a self-addressed and stamped manila envelope with $1.21 in postage to: