News of Parking in the New Year
As anyone who's been on Warren Street in the past few weeks knows, the heads of most of the parking meters have been removed. Since December, the month of free parking, is now over, the question is, "What next?" The question is addressed in the following communication from HPD Chief Mishanda Franklin. As we begin the New Year, I would like to thank everyone for their support and understanding during my maternity leave. I am grateful for the dedication of the Hudson Police Department and the continued support of our community partners throughout the City of Hudson. I would like to welcome the new City Administration and look forward to continuing the collaborative work already underway to maintain Hudson’s safety and strength.
Improving communication with the public remains a priority. Beginning, Monday, January 5, 2026, a weekly incident and arrest log will be posted to the City Website. Please note that certain information will be removed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). We will also continue to use Facebook and the Hudson Hub to share pertinent information including events, press releases, parking restrictions and parking bureau updates. Additionally, I will be making a concerted effort to meet with local business owners and residents to listen to concerns.
PARKING BUREAU UPDATE:
As part of recent changes, most meter heads have been removed. A limited number remain in handicap accessible spaces to ensure individuals with disabilities continue to have multiple payment options. At this time, no additional kiosks will be installed on Warren Street. Our plan is to program all existing kiosks, except for the kiosk located at AMTRAK, to accept payment for both municipal lots and on-street parking. In the interest of transparency, we want to evaluate kiosk use before introducing additional recurring costs to the City.
Signage will be installed outlining payment options, including QR code payment, Text-to-Park, or ParkMobile (pay by phone). A photo of the signage [appears below] for reference. As a reminder, a valid license plate number is required for all payment options. Please note that payment methods using the QR code payment and Text-to-Park will incur a $.39 per transaction convenience fee while ParkMobile includes a $.60 per transaction convenience fee. Because ParkMobile is already an established and familiar payment option we chose to expand its availability throughout the City of Hudson.
Due to unforeseen production delays, signage is expected to be completed Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Although Police Commissioner’s Order 2025-09 expanded the metered parking area on Warren Street effective January 5, 2026, enforcement of this change will not take place until signage is installed. Parking Enforcement is anticipated to begin on Friday January 9, 2026. We encourage the public to use this time to familiarize themselves with the updated parking procedures and payment options.
On-street parking rates remain unchanged at this time; however, may be increasing in the near future as previously discussed. We are working with City Administration to ensure changes are fair, reasonable and considerate of the community. A town hall or public meeting is also being considered for public input.
If you wish to share your thoughts or concerns on parking-related matters, please email parkingbureau@cityofhudson.org or doreen.danforth@hudsonpoliceny.org.
We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as these updates are implemented and will continue to provide information as it becomes available.
To think Kamal, Tom and their allies once wanted to defund HPD by 13%... (when there was no change to population or crime), and then created the "Housing Justice" outfit and ballooned the Hudson Youth Center / Learing Center.
ReplyDeleteNow the latter two are the least transparent, dodge FOILs, cannot defend preferential hiring practices... but HPD proactively leads with transparency and professionalism and treats everyone the same.
Imagine if the City of Hudson gave this parking issue to HPD (who handles parking tickets) years ago... before DePietro spent six figures on machines we cannot use, and Council member bungled public communications.
Proof yet again that it is better to have a few professionals who really care (with financial and reputational skin in the game) than a crowd of part-time amateurs who don't. Ten focused full-time pros will run circles around 100 part-time employees who don't know what they are doing.
re: "Improving communication with the public remains a priority. Beginning, Monday, January 5, 2026, a weekly incident and arrest log will be posted to the City Website. "
"At this time, no additional kiosks will be installed on Warren Street."
ReplyDeleteTrue or not?
Lower Warren remains residential for the time being?
Having no kiosks doesn't mean there are no parking fees. My question is: If there are three ways to pay the fee without using a kiosk, why are kiosks even necessary? Maybe that's what they are trying to find out.
DeleteEffective today, 1/5/26, all of Warren St from Front St. to Prospect Ave/Worth is designated as metered parking. No tickets are being issued yet.
DeleteThank you for the clear answer and guidance. This is a problem that you inherited, not one you made.
DeleteAlso for the new/added public disclosures of activity and arrest logs on your easy to navigate sub page on the City of Hudson website:
https://www.hudsonny.gov/departments/police_department/index.php#weeklymedialogs
If I understand correctly, paying at a kiosk will be the only way to avoid a transaction (“convenience”) fee on top of the parking fee. Will the city publish a map showing the locations of the kiosks?
ReplyDeleteI can't speak for the City about publishing a map (the awaited signage does not include such a map), but we already know where the five kiosks are that will be programmed to accept payment for onstreet parking as well as lot parking. They are at the two lots in the 300 block of Warren Street (the one across from The Maker Gymnasium and the one next two the First Presbyterian Church), the lot next to 325 Columbia Street (the County Health Dept), the lot behind City Hall, and the lot next to 601 Union Street (once the Hudson Elks Lodge).
DeleteNo, they likely will not have a map, if only because it's not necessary. The ONLY kiosks in the ground right now are at and for the city's 6 parking lots. On-street parking is to be paid for with a phone ONLY.
DeleteBasically, the city didn't realize until very recently how much money they would have to spend on kiosks to cover the entire paid parking area. So, kiosks are now completely out of the program for on-street parking.
Is it possible that residents on all 9 blocks of Warren Street, side streets, Columbia, etc with cars parked on the street will not only have to continue abiding by the overnight parking rule, but also pay during the day to park, including the convenient service fee? In just about any other city, the day parking permits would have already been handed out. Not in Hudson.
That makes it pretty far to walk to find a kiosk unless you’re parking in the 300 block of Warren or in one of those municipal lots. There should be a kiosk on every block. I believe that’s the case in, for example, Montréal.
DeletePaying at a kiosk with quarters/dollar coins would be the only way to avoid a fee. The kiosks do not accept paper bills, nor do they give change (another kiosk flaw). At a time where the budget is under scrutiny, more kiosks = additional expenditure without data if coin payment is being utilized enough. Time will tell.
DeleteSo, HPD Parking, how many kiosks SHOULD the parking study committee have purchased? Just the six that are being used now? Who is responsible for the remaining ten kiosks in storage and what will become of them?
DeleteWe are not here to debate what should or should not have been done. The reality is that the City owns 16 Kiosks, six of which are installed and operational. We are looking at the most practical way forward with all parking changes and will keep the public informed.
ReplyDeleteOur neighboring international cities to the north and south of us, Montreal and NYC, have kiosk on every block—and they also only accept coins and cards. The expectation of change making bill acceptance is an over expectation of common practice by novices. But there will be an expectation for users to be able to use some form of cash to avoid fees or having to use your phone. The kiosks are already paid for and should be installed along Warren. There’s going to be major blowback and frustration when people figure out they have to pay more in fees than they do for a short parking errand, or have to walk 3 block to find a lot kiosk.
ReplyDeleteThe handwringing and poor communication is losing the city valuable revenue. Just push forward already. There will always be complaining, some people hate change. But this will frustrate everyone and cause blowback on a new administration that will inherit the PR nightmare. Also, we should be raising the rate anyway, as was intended by the Council. Doing the change first, and raising rates later is just lengthening the pain points. And communications about a proposed hike that uses unconfident language and things like “we want to be fair and equitable” is setting yourself up for failure and public outrage. Lead with steadiness and confidence.