City of Reading, Pennsylvania

The Reading Parking Authority’s Citywide Parking Relief (CPR) initiative provides additional parking options for residents in neighborhoods outside the downtown area by purchasing reasonably priced parcels throughout the city that can be converted to off-street parking. Once the property has been rehabbed and converted, spaces are available to residents at affordable rates.

To date, the Authority has committed $3 million dollars from its Capital Fund to finance this project.

The Citywide Parking Relief initiative began in response to frequent citizen complaints about how difficult it is to find parking in their neighborhoods. Parking is even more challenging for people with limited mobility, that have young children, or who need to carry groceries or laundry.

This parking crisis is due in large part to two causes:

1) Residences that were originally single-family homes were converted to multi-family dwellings; and

2) Rates of car ownership increased significantly in the time since many of the homes in Reading were built.

In short, Reading has more residents than ever, and most of those residents drive cars. The Authority recognizes this problem did not develop overnight, and solving it will take time, but it is committed to improving this situation. Reading Parking Authority currently owns and manages over 7,500 downtown parking spaces contained within eight parking garages, four surface lots, and metered zones. With the Citywide Parking Relief initiative, the Reading Parking Authority is expanding its focus beyond the downtown area to assist residents throughout the city.

The Authority is asking individuals and business entities that own or manage parking lots or vacant lots in the city to
contact 610-655-6166 x1222 with information about the property.

Please visit our permit page for information about lot locations and availability.