From The Hunt: couple leaves Barclays Center area, with parking an issue (but fine for daytime work trips)

From the New York Times Real Estate section's feature The Hunt, Wanted: A Brooklyn Apartment With More Space:

In 2009, [Eyal and Karen Hen] married and moved into a tiny studio a few blocks from Barclays Center. The place was above Fish & Sip, a restaurant owned by Mr. Hen and a partner. He was two staircases away from work. Their rent was around $1,700 a month. Later, he opened Chick P, across the street.

Note that it was not a few blocks from Barclays Center, which didn't open until 2012 and didn't have a groundbreaking until 2010. It was a few blocks from the Barclays Center site. That's Atlantic Yards down the memory hole.

The parking issue

From the article:

They preferred a relatively new building in Brooklyn, not too far from the restaurants.
...The Hens decided they would have to hunt in a less expensive neighborhood farther out in Brooklyn, so they returned to Kensington. By now, because the opening of the Barclays Center had consumed street parking near the restaurants, Mr. Hen was determined to secure a spot for the car.
...He drives to Fish & Sip, leaving home about 9 a.m. and waiting in the car until street parking opens up at 10. He takes the subway, however, to his two more recently opened TriBeCa restaurants, Nish Nush (Hebrew for snack) and the takeout outpost of Sun in Bloom.

So there is street parking near the arena, as long as you don't seek it on the schedule of those living there. That means savvy arenagoers know to come early, before residents who drive come home.