ORLANDO, Fla. – Parking at the downtown Orlando Social Security office has some people frustrated, saying it is too expensive for visitors, particularly those on fixed incomes.
Merrie Pickens, a News 6 viewer, expressed her concerns regarding the high parking fees, which she believes are burdensome for individuals who rely on limited financial resources.
“I just felt really bad about this and wanted to bring it to y’all’s attention because there are a lot of people that are disabled that have to park so far away to not have to pay the $20,” Pickens said.
Parking at the lot is $10 per hour, with a two-hour minimum. There is a 15-minute grace period, but after that, the cost is $20. There is street parking outside the office on Orange Avenue, but it can fill up quickly as the office is located in busy downtown Orlando.
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The parking situation worries Pickens so much, she decided to meet News 6 reporter Stephanie Rodriguez at Lake Eola to avoid it competently.
“When you asked if I wanted to meet at the Social Security office, the only reason I didn’t was just because the parking is so horrendous over there,” she explained.
Pickens said she was not even aware of the parking rate when she went to take her disabled mother to an appointment until someone else pointed it out.
“That lady pulling out [of the lot] is arguing with the attendant, and she warns us and says, ‘It’s $20 no matter what’,” Pickens recalled.
Concerned about the impact of the price, she reached out to News 6.
“I just felt like it was really unfair. I wanted to come to you guys because you guys get results,” she said.
Pickens emphasized that this rate is particularly challenging for those on fixed incomes.
“That’s extremely expensive for us to go to the Social Security office, which you have to go to sometimes,” she said. “I noticed that the wording was so deceiving, which is unfair for people who maybe aren’t familiar with English, or they are just stressed out driving downtown and trying to find a parking spot.”
News 6 reached out to the city of Orlando for assistance, but we learned the building is leased by the federal government. We have contacted the Social Security Administration to address Pickens’ concerns.