Zynga uses Potrero Hill as their Parking Lot

[phill simon]

Zynga, the online gaming company, has been using Potrero Hill as their employee parking lot. Zynga employees park in the streets surrounding 444 De haro. A fleet of Zynga shuttles then pick the employees up at designated stops and drive them to the Zynga offices over on Townsend St. Zynga also parks the shuttle vans on the streets surrounding 444 De haro. This practice began while Zynga occupied space at 444 De haro. They have since left the building months ago but the parking shuttles have remained.

 

As you know parking is at a premium in the neighborhood and finding a spot can be difficult. Zynga’s parking shuttle program is unfair to the people that live and work in this neighborhood. Every day Zynga employees park dozens if not hundreds of cars in the neighborhood. It’s unfair to the residents and business owners of Potrero Hill and bad corporate responsibility.

 

I reached out to Malia Cohen, supervisor for district 10, and she met with Zynga on April 27^th. She reported back; ‘the is matter is going to require more time to address.  The appropriate decision maker was not present at the meeting.  However I have connected Zynga with MTA who is busy studying the use of all shuttle buses in our neighborhood.’

 

It’s disappointing that Zynga did not voluntarily suspend its off-site parking program, although it’s not a surprise given their record. It’s especially galling given the fact that the City extended Zynga a 6 million dollar payroll tax exemption only to turn around and use Potrero Hill’s streets as their corporate parking lot.

 

I’d thought the Boosters would be interested in the issue, particularly given the current controversy surrounding the metered parking proposal.