hi guys, i’ve been apartment hunting for places in baltimore and I am really leaning towards mt vernon! however the only thing that puts me off is the parking situation. I don’t mind battling parking to park a couple/few blocks away as I’m familiar with driving in cities. However, I have a partner that would be coming over frequently and I am struggling to figure out if that would be doable. I understand area 28 does not have guest passes. My partner may stay for a few days at a time. Should I just put them on the lease so they can get an area 28 sticker too? Are there any other parking options besides paying $20 a day at a garage each time? Are there free spots somewhere else in the city that maybe they could park in and I’ll just scoop them from there? It probably sounds like I’m thinking too much into this but having to worry about parking every week would stink!

I love what mt vernon has to offer but wondering if this would be a dealbreaker and if I’m better off choosing a more parking friendly neighborhood.

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exdrake t1_it65u6z wrote on October 21, 2022 at 5:33 AM

i’ve lived in mt vernon for 2 years now, previously lived in old goucher/station north area a few blocks up past north ave and there’s hella free parking so that may not be too far to scoop him depending on where you plan to move and what you consider far. there’s also the bridges on biddle and chase, but wouldn’t really recommend since they’re prone to break ins. and the area on biddle near meadworks is free too, i have a neighbor who parks there and seems to be cool with it/hasn’t had issues but i’ve never parked there overnight so idk.

you could do the lease thing, but he’d also have to change his address with the MVA bc the vehicle also has to be registered in the area.

there’s also metered parking on some streets that range from like 75¢-$2/hr depending on the street. they usually go from 8AM-6PM.

5555plum OP t1_it67cqd wrote on October 21, 2022 at 5:50 AM

This is helpful thank you! Did not realize there was ample parking by there. Do you know what the parking signs say if anything? Just want to double check! If my partner can park there without a sticker that would great as it’s just a 5 min drive and don’t mind that at all. I also may end up paying for a lot/garage myself so leaving my parking spot to pick him up wouldn’t be an issue.

exdrake t1_it6vzim wrote on October 21, 2022 at 11:19 AM

if you mean station north area, i definitely had a way easier time finding parking than i did in mt vernon. for reference, i lived on the 2100 block of st. paul st and could usually park right in front of my apartment most of the time. 20th street - 24th street (from the intersection of charles to barclay) are mostly free (a few meters in small areas of 20th & 23rd), so is every st. paul, calvert & guilford. i believe the only signs are some street cleaning on st. paul & calvert, can’t remember the days exactly though.

the closest would probably be to just park on calvert, right past north ave. you could also use google maps street view to double check what i’m saying! i can be anxious going to new places, so i always get on there to scope out park signs lol

advil00 t1_it87su6 wrote on October 21, 2022 at 5:17 PM

I've lived in Mt Vernon for a while, and it's great, but parking is not my favorite part of it. For the first few years I lived here I did street parking, but I now rent a spot, and I wouldn't go back. I also have a partner visiting from afar regularly and when this happens I move my car elsewhere, she uses my spot. This is a lot simpler.

Also be aware that Area 28 parking restrictions don't apply on the weekend, so (factoring in the 2hr limit without a permit) if your partner is arriving after 5 on Fri and leaving before 9 on Monday, there's nothing to worry about. (Except, much after 5 on a Fri is not the best time to look for a spot...) Other people have highlighted some of the nearby unrestricted parking areas and there's essentially always going to be something with patience, but observationally many of these definitely have a higher rate of broken glass on the ground. I agree that Station North (esp. N. of North Ave) is fine and does have more parking, but just be aware that if you are not used to Baltimore, it ... may not feel that way.

One other thing: there are many random events that will occasionally close small or large chunks of street parking in the neighborhood (these events are a good thing about the area IMO, just a pain for parking), so you need to keep on top of that. Worst seems to be closest to the monument, I'm a ways off it and am only really impacted by the massive ones like the marathon or that bike race we recently had. Yet another benefit of just renting a spot...

5555plum OP t1_ithbffh wrote on October 23, 2022 at 5:29 PM

Thank you for you input, it is incredibly helpful!! I didn’t think about moving my car elsewhere so my partner could just use my garage spot. Definitely much easier! Also glad to hear about the weekend parking. I think I will stick with mt vernon after all and I am super excited to get settled. Now just have to find some parking garages!

S-Kunst t1_it7r7ma wrote on October 21, 2022 at 3:27 PM

I live in Mt V (20yrs) There are many small parking spaces in the back of houses and on alley streets, where houses once stood. The owners rent these out, on an informal basis. I have been parking on an old house spot on Tyson St, near Read st. $60./month. There are also several parking garages which rent out spaces . One on Read St, one on Saratoga nr Charles. There are more.

filipino_zaddy t1_it8eaka wrote on October 21, 2022 at 6:00 PM

I just moved to Mt. Vernon and had the same concerns. Bit the bullet and paid for garage parking ($180/month) on Charles St. since it’s closer to me, but could be an option for you depending on where you are. Crazy steep, but I don’t have to worry about street parking.