To: Governor Gavin Newsom
Require bicycle parking in multi-family dwelling units
It should be a requirement for owners of every apartment complex, student dorm and condominium complex to provide secure, covered bicycle parking for the complex or else allow tenants to store bicycles on their balconies, decks and patios. So many apartments forbid residents to store their bicycles on their patios, yet do not provide a secure storage place for bicycles in the parking lot or garage. These archaic lease terms are a huge disincentive for tenants to own and ride bikes. Getting out of our cars is one of the healthiest things we can do for our bodies and the planet!
Why is this important?
This issue affects me and my neighbors where we live, adjacent to the regional Bay Trail in bicycle-friendly Alameda, California. It is just wrong that apartment owners provide car parking spaces to their tenants but no place to secure their bicycles! A decree by Governor Brown would require all cities in California to put the bicycle parking provision in their zoning ordinances, who in turn would require all multi-family housing owners to provide a secure bike shed or bike lockers on the property AND allow bicycles to be stored on patios, decks and balconies.