News & Updates

5 Reasons Why You Should Include Parking in Your Multifamily Budget

Take a few minutes to think about why parking may need a place in your budget.

Budget season may feel like one big confusing set of financials for you, or maybe you’re a budgeting pro by now. Wherever you lie on the budget spectrum this year, take a few minutes to think about why parking may need a place in your budget.

Benefits of Budgeting Parking in Your Community

1. Potential for extra revenue

Have you heard about generating ancillary income from apartment parking? This revenue can come from charging for premium resident parking spaces, apartment guest parking outside of allotted free time, and paid guest parking permits for visitors to nearby stores or venues. Managers using a software for multifamily parking solutions have seen increases in rented carports and garages through tracking resident vehicles.

They’ve also been able to catch unauthorized occupants and generate up to $3,000 a month on guest parking. Check out this case study about an Atlanta multifamily community that consistently makes anywhere from $1,000-$3,000 a month on apartment guest parking.

2. Improved online ratings & reviews

People are more likely to leave bad reviews if they have a negative experience than they are to leave a good one after a positive experience. Most of us look at online reviews before eating at a restaurant, visiting a new location, or even moving somewhere.

In fact, 94% of people in a recent study, said a negative online review has led them to avoid a business. A big red flag when looking for a place to move? Lots of negative reviews about parking. Needless to say, a well-managed apartment parking lot or garage makes a big difference in reducing bad ratings.

3. Increased community harmony

If your residents struggle to find parking spaces, assigned spaces and signs to indicate resident vs. visitor parking spots may help. According to NMHC 2020 insights, 74% of apartment households have one or more cars. While many more people work from home than before, those who do commute still don’t want to spend their evenings searching for a good parking space.

A reliable parking management system can significantly improve parking availability and reduce the confusion resulting from out-of-control parking. Better multifamily parking solutions mean greater harmony among residents and their guests.

4. Greater sense of overall security

Do you deal with unauthorized and unidentified vehicles taking up apartment guest parking spaces? There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing cars using up your limited space for free and then going somewhere else. You and your residents can find peace of mind with multifamily parking solutions that keep unknown vehicles from being in your community.

5. Technology adds value

Technology was already working its way to the forefront of multifamily management, but the pandemic pushed it front and center. It not only makes certain tasks more efficient for your team, but it also gives residents simple ways to handle things like registering a guest to park on their own.

An online parking platform like Parking Boss (part of Community Boss) offers a Smart Parking Map, giving your team an overhead view of parking. Here, you can assign residents to spaces, see where paid premium spaces may be beneficial, and identify how much guest parking you have to offer.

With a multifamily parking solution like Parking Boss, you can:
  • Keep tabs and set limits on the number of vehicles per unit
  • Allow access to your enforcement partners for tracking violations/warnings and validating parking permits
  • Offer an allotted time of free guest parking per unit and allow residents the option to pay for additional guest parking outside of the allotted hours
  • Catch unauthorized vehicles or residents with a parking enforcement system
  • Visually manage the best places to set up premium reserved spaces

At Community Boss, we may not be able to solve your budget headaches, but we can help you solve your apartment parking problems. In addition, we’ll work directly with you to develop a parking management plan that will create parking cash flow. Schedule a demo with us to learn how we can help your community thrive.