Parking Hurdle For Elmhurst Residents In Apartment Buildings

ELMHURST, IL – Dannette Reyonds, who lives in an apartment building in northwest Elmhurst, told aldermen Monday about her family's parking challenge.

"I know I'm not the only resident dealing with it," said Dannette Reynolds, a single mother with three children. "Recently, my oldest son got his driver's license. Yay!"

She said she bought him a reliable used car, so he can get to school, work and other activities.

But her family encountered a hurdle: Their apartment building only allows one parking space per unit.

Elmhurst is like a lot of suburbs in that it bars people from parking on the street overnight.

Reynolds, who has lived in Elmhurst for eight years, said she has looked at renting a private space.

"Some aren't available. Some are expensive. Some are simply too far away to be practical," she said.

She acknowledged municipal lots blocks away. While they are technically solutions, she said, they don't work in the real world.

"I understand that the city has rules for a reason," Reynolds said. "I understand concerns for street maintenance, snow removal, abandoned vehicles and keeping neighborhoods looking nice."

But she asked the city to consider allowing residents in situations where only one parking space is available to park on the street, using a permit system.

She said she wasn't seeking special treatment.

"Right now, it feels like residents who are trying to follow the rules are left without realistic options close to where they actually live," Reynolds said.

Aldermen did not respond, following their meeting procedures.