New York City Returns Neon-Green Parking Shame Stickers

New York City reintroduced neon-green shame stickers on Tuesday morning for vehicles that obstruct street sweepers, ending a 14-year hiatus. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Councilwoman Gale Brewer joined sanitation workers on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to apply the stickers and issue $65 tickets to non-compliant drivers. The stickers, which the City Council previously banned in 2012, are intended to publicize violations and increase adherence to alternate-side parking rules.

Sanitation Commissioner Gregory Anderson simultaneously launched a pilot program in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. This initiative reduces weekly street cleaning from two days to one to determine if a lower frequency of disruptions increases driver compliance. Anderson characterized the strategy as a carrot and stick approach, where the reduced cleaning frequency serves as the incentive and the stickers act as the penalty.

Councilwoman Brewer highlighted the severity of the issue, stating that the streets are currently filthy and that it is depressing to see sweepers unable to clean because cars occupy every available space. Mayor Mamdani emphasized that the program is critical for the Sanitation Department to conduct its cleaning duties effectively.