The dearth of parking space has, for long, been a serious problem in Addis Abeba. Buildings are mostly constructed without considering parking space. If they do construct a parking facility, it is often insufficient. The parking area is frequently not proportional to the number of cars the regular users and visitors to the building bring. The buildings that have parking garages seem to have constructed them with less interest using stingy and meagre resources. This had led to extremely poor quality - as reflected in the absence of ventilation and lighting systems, standard signs and appropriate exit and entrance points. 

The problem seems to be not only of the insufficiency and lack of quality, when the parking facility exists, but also of inconsistency in the sector. Some charge some consider it part of their obligation to have it ready for customers. Many who charge for parking demand more money soon after the first payment is settled.  The other and underlying problem is the absence of a mandated institution, at least clearly known, to enforce the obligation to consider and include ample space for parking during the construction of each of the buildings in the city. If there is such an institution they don't seem to be enforcing the rule or following up on it. Though the Addis Abeba Branch Office of the Federal Transport Authority has passed a regulation that makes it mandatory for real estate developers to have sufficient space dedicated for parking there are buildings constructed without a single parking lot. Worse yet, though designers include parking areas in their design of a certain building, owners force both the designers and engineers to turn such spaces in to facilities meant for more lucrative  purposes.

There are also incidents where already readied parking lots are used for other such purposes. New structures that have underground parking garages have rented much of the space for shops; such edifices are not few. This is contrary to the purpose of the space. Further, this act will upset the activity in the area forcing motorists to park in the space surrounding the building (pedestrian walk, entrance to buildings and houses). This essentially turns an otherwise free and public space into a congested traffic scene and parking lot. Misuse of parking lots is a relatively new experiance. Yet, inconvenience to pedestrians and adjacent lots  caused by lack of parking areas has been a nuisance that has gone unnoticed. 

The regulation also bans building owners from using such spaces for parking. When the Transport Authority introduced paid parking in the city, it made it clear that it is public space that most vehicles in the city use for the unintended purpose; the administration of these places is the duty of the Authority.

Ironically, though, even today some newly constructed fancy buildings that are meant to cater for mostly the well-to-do, who are basically motorists, lack  parking areas.

Some time ago, the problem had a different look. Building owners used to erect the structure on the edge of their land without considering parking needs. Their assumption was that drivers can use open spaces that are near the building. This has not proven feasible.

It is still common these days in the central and commercial centres of Addis Abeba, to observe huge buildings with many storeys have according to their own initiative, avoided their obligation to facilitate their buildings with ample parking space.

Experts in the field of construction, including engineers and designing consultants agree that it has been a common phenomenon to witness the loose controlling mechanisms within the govenrment that allowed several huge buildings to be erected without applying the necessary prerequisites to facilitate a parking garage for their incumbent and visitors.

Many commercial buildings or residential units use the nearby public roads as reserve for their own parking purpose even if the plots are intended to serve as pedestrians sidewalks and other public purposes. One can even witness some five star hotels recently built in Addis which are licensed for the status and inaugurated accordingly with the absence of a single parking garage. Visitors and incumbents here are also expected to park on sidewalks or alley roads surrounding the buildings of the fancy hotels. 

According to the Addis Abeba City's building permit regulation, there is an obligation that whoever constructs a building for commercial purpose at least has to have a single parking area to be prepared within the area in 50sqm difference of land. This does not seem to have enjoyed adequate attention from the side of those who construct their buildings, as they make use of the land initially approved for parking space on their construction plans but in reality end up creating something else. This is so because of the failure of the mandated government offices and the lack of honesty on the part of the project owners.

There is  wide concern about traffic accidents involving collisions between vehicles parked in public areas at close distance from each other. Various complaints on the waste of time and fuel because of traffic jams resulting from the search for parking lots has rise considerably

There are, of course, in most central parts of the city, parking services that charge the motorists for every hour they stop on public roads. This is partly meant to discourage long hours of parking on public spaces and main roads. But the purpose seems to have lost direction.  

This parking service started out as a source of employment by creating job opportunities for parking operators, since it was introduced in 2004.

When viewed from an ethical point of view and from the perspective of the social well-being of the public, there have been some problems particularly in connection with misbehaviours of individuals who are engaged in operations of paid parking. Of course, there could be a substantial number of authorized parking operators who have been legally recognized and do the petty business in a way that it contributes to the social welfare.

However, one cannot rule out the existing incidence of some parking lot operators who appear to be organized illegally to take control of parking lots in certain areas of the city by shifting from place to place these opertors may collect parking fees to their own accounts, being neither licensed, nor registered, with no regard for paying taxes to the government.

This is where the door for freely sponsored hooligans could also be opened. If provided with due management, the sector can help boost the already instated efforts for income generation, using it as a source of employment.

Experiences in developed countries indicate that there are interests and initiatives to invest in parking lot developments. On the condition that they are provided with incentives such as provision of land with minimum fare, sometimes even free of lease so that they construct affordable parking lots separately.

Applying effective management from supervised construction and control methods to parking lot developments would enable residents in the city to be safe. This can obviously be obtained through a well planned operation by governmental authorities and commitment from real estate developers. The developers must apply effective management for parking lots and consider parking space an essential element of the buildings they construct. This would lead the way to keep   the free space necessary for roadways and sidewalks, while reserving ample parking lots for buildings. Efforts expended in this regard can reap in savings of huge resources including time, fuel and property. Addis residents feel they have put up with enough waste.

Enforcing the obligation for parking lot facilities can also avoid any overlap of visitors, and vehicles while providing obedience to acceptable laws.

The potential misdemeanors related to illegal parking operators also need the attention of law enforcement so that fertile ground is laid for the government to collect the taxes it could collect from the business, above all towards ensuring the rule of law and order.