Neighborhood Parking as Economic Indicator?

Has parking been easier in your neighborhood recently? It has been for one Echo Park resident who has noticed this trend, via The Eastsider LA: "As if following the financial markets, parking began to appear right as we approached the bail (fail) out and credit crisis. Each day more space, even at night. Now I see spaces in front as the Dow dips below 10,000 with each dive. Could Laguna Ave. be some kind of bellwether street for the economy?"