Permit parking may soon be in the cards for Brush Park residents in Detroit

Detroit may implement parking permits at Brush Park for residents

Brush Park is prime real estate in Detroit, located next to the sporting stadiums, Little Caesars Arena, Wayne State University, and restaurants.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Brush Park is prime real estate in Detroit, located next to the sporting stadiums, Little Caesars Arena, Wayne State University, and restaurants.

There’s just one problem — it can take residents an hour — or two — to find parking. So the city has proposed Brush Park to be the first spot for residential parking permits.

When FOX 2 drove around Brush Park, we saw what some neighbors consider a rare sight — open parking spaces in front of apartment buildings. But this was in the middle of the day Tuesday… not the night of a concert, or a Pistons or Red Wings game.

"When I come home from work or the grocery store, there’s never any parking," said Michelle Averette. "So I literally have to drive around, drive around, and park four or five blocks away."

FOX 2: "It sounds like you like living in brush park, you just wish parking was a lot better?"

"That’s the only issue — for the residents," she said.

Averette says she supports the city’s idea for a resident parking permit plan.

"I’ve literally had to call my husband, and like, ‘Listen, you come down here and get this car, because I’ve been literally have been driving this car around for at least an hour.’ So I literally just pull up, put the car in park, put my flashers on and wait until he comes."

For months, Detroit’s Municipal Parking Department has worked on providing designated areas for people who live in Brush Park.

The group presented the idea during meetings last fall which included Powerpoint breakdowns of parking in Brush Park.

Plus, potential parking meters used.

"It’s long overdue. we’ve been looking to have this enacted in our brush park neighborhood since I moved here in 2016," said Rich Ramirez.

But in a mixed-income community, which features new, modern apartments and senior housing within walking distance of several Detroit attractions, critics pushed back on limited parking spaces.

Ramirez welcomes a possible change.

"If you look at any other large city, there is some sort of form of solution. in Chicago, New York. If we’re a vibrant, growing, downtown community, residents need to have parking, as well as, their guests. They shouldn’t have to pay $40 to come to see me in the evening," he said.

No one from the city would speak on camera yet. They are working to finalize their plan for City Council. Once that happens, they’ll reveal more details.