Why I Built Spotlert

Finding parking can be one of the most frustrating parts of living in a busy neighborhood.

There were so many times when I found myself driving around block after block, hoping a spot would open up. And I kept thinking the same thing:

What if neighbors could simply help each other?

If someone was leaving a parking spot, why couldn't they quickly let nearby neighbors know?

And it doesn't have to be your own spot.

Maybe you're walking down the block and notice an open space. Maybe you see one from your window or in front of your house. If you know there's a spot available, why not let someone nearby know about it?

That simple idea became Spotlert.

Today, we're building Spotlert to make it easier for people in a neighborhood to share useful parking information with each other in real time.

When you see an available spot, you can report it so people in your group know it's there. And when you're leaving a spot, you can let others know that one is about to open up.

A small action from one person might save someone else ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes of circling the neighborhood.

That's really the idea behind Spotlert. You might not need a parking spot right now, but someone else nearby probably does. And the next time you're the one searching, another neighbor might be the person who helps you.

As Spotlert continues to grow, we're also building features that go beyond finding parking. Households can keep track of where their vehicles are parked and manage vehicle reminders, all in one place.

But the original idea is still at the heart of what we're building:

Neighbors helping neighbors.

We're excited to keep improving Spotlert and to see how people use it in their own neighborhoods.

I hope you find Spotlert useful. If you have ideas, suggestions, or feedback, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks for being here, and welcome to Spotlert.

Joe