SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today's Why Guy question comes from Julie: "Why are homeowners responsible for cracks in the sidewalk?"
Julie sent ABC10 photos from a friend’s sidewalk in South Sacramento, off Franklin Boulevard, about five minutes from the Delta Shores shopping area.
The city has marked the sidewalk with white arrows for issues. There are cracks, which could get worse and cause a hazard. But, is the homeowner responsible for fixing the cracks?
"Sidewalk repairs are the responsibility of the homeowner that lives directly in front of the sidewalk their property faces," according to the California Streets and Highways Code.
Sacramento city and county inspectors travel around or are tipped off to sidewalk hazards and will leave a notice with the homeowner to fix it or the city or county will fix it and bill you.
A sidewalk repair job could cost a homeowner $5,000 or more. It depends on how big the front lot is.
Online discussions between residents on several social media sites say the cost to repair is similar between what the resident would pay to what the city or country subcontractor would charge you. So, when does a sidewalk need fixing?
"The basic criteria for unincorporated county locations is a 3/4" displacement (lift/drop separation) or 1" or more of standing water for 10 or more feet," according to Matt Robinson, a spokesman for Sacramento County.
Robinson said the next county sidewalk repair project is set to begin in spring 2024 and is anticipated to repair about 120 locations.
In the meantime, if you see cracks in the sidewalk in front of your home, it's advisable to repair it before you get a notice.
The last thing you want is somebody tripping over a crack you didn't fix and you're on the hook for more than just patching pavement.
Watch more on ABC10
