Parking Has Never Been Worse at CSUSB

By Naydean Matthews CSUSB Practicum Reporter

Parking has become a hot topic at CSUSB this semester as construction in Lot N causes a parking shortage. Students spend more time searching for parking spots and arrive late to class. In some cases, students often park further away from campus.

One CSUSB student, Kierra Autry, said finding a parking space has been a hassle because most of the student parking spaces are full.

“There’s no parking spots in the morning,” she said, “Everything is completely full except for staff parking.”

Autry said she has noticed many students driving around campus and searching for spaces, often following students who are walking out of class in hopes of taking their spot. Autry estimates the amount of time it takes her to find a parking spot is between 15 and 20 minutes, which she says significantly cuts into her class time.

A parking pass for a single semester at CSUSB is currently $205.00, while the price of parking was $200 flat the previous semester. “I feel like this situation is outrageous. I shouldn’t be paying that much to be driving in circles and not have a guaranteed parking spot,” Autry said.

According to an Aug. 18 email from CSUSB's Facilities Service Center, construction for a new canopy-style solar panel project in parking lot N began on June 9 this year. The project is expected to take place in several phases over the next year.

“The first phase included closing lot N completely to install fencing, clear vegetation, and investigate underground utilities,” CSUSB's Facilities Service Center said in the email.

The university says the next phase of construction began Aug. 17 and is scheduled to continue through Dec. 31. During this phase, lot N is expected to stay partially open, while the east and west entrances and exits are primarily designated for access to the HVAC Central Plant and ADA parking. The university also said that access to the parking structures will remain open.

Despite this plan by the university to keep some parking access, students feel that the construction makes parking very difficult.

“Right now, it sucks. The later it gets, the harder it is to park,” said one student, Steven Valle.

Valle also estimated about a 15- to 20-minute time frame to find parking.

“A huge portion of the lot is blocked off, so even the parking garages are full when I get to school. I wish the university would consider parking difficulties; I don't think they should be giving out parking tickets right now,” he said.

Another student, Arleth Aguayo, describes the parking situation as “really chaotic” this semester. She claims the construction has removed a large portion of one of the university’s largest lots, causing students to spread out to other areas.

“I’ve been here for four years, and it's the worst I’ve seen. I’ve seen students parking in neighborhoods across the street to avoid it altogether, but even those places are limited,” Aguayo said.

While Aguayo understands the construction might be necessary, she believes the project should move faster because of the effect on students.

“They should bring down the prices or something. Students already have other expenses, including tuition, textbooks, and everyday living costs, making the price of a parking permit another financial burden,” she said.

She suggests that if parking permits could not be eliminated, the university should consider lowering costs or offering hourly parking options for students who are only on campus for short periods.

For these students, and most students at CSUSB, the issue is not just finding a place to leave their car. Lot N construction has added extra time and stress to students’ daily routines while they continue to pay extreme prices for parking.

The university’s notice gives an estimated timeline for when students can expect the next phase of the project to continue, with construction scheduled to continue through the end of the semester. Students are left waiting to see when the parking they pay for will improve.