Updated at 9:20 p.m. June 1, 2015
A join City Council committee meeting Monday marked the start of the process to decide how to spend $1.4 billion over the next 30 years to fix broken sidewalks around the city.
One proposal heard by the City Council’s Budget and Finance and Public Works and Gang Reduction committees would shift the responsibility of fixing broken sidewalks back to property owners.
Councilman Paul Krekorian, a co-chair of the joint committee, said overgrown tree roots have damaged sidewalks and has led to streets that are “less and less accessible” for the city’s disabled residents and senior citizens.
Krekorian said a recent legal settlement and “the resolute determination” of the City Council now “gives us an opportunity” to begin the work of making sure “every sidewalk in the city of Los Angeles will be in good repair” and that they will stay good shape.
Krekorian said a recent report calling for gradually shifting the responsibility of sidewalk repairs back to property owners will be a “touchstone for the beginning of a discussion,” but ultimately the decision lies with the City Council and Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Under state law, property owners are on the hook for repairing sidewalks adjacent to their homes, but in 1974 the city exempted property owners from repairing sidewalks damaged by overgrown tree roots.
The exception was made so the city could take advantage of federal funds for the repairs, but the money soon dried up, leaving the city still responsible but unable to continue fixing sidewalks, City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana wrote in a report released last week.
Santana is recommending that the city “phase in” the process for restoring the responsibility of sidewalk repairs to property owners.
Santana also recommends that the city again set up a sidewalk inspection program to evaluate the condition of sidewalks and to issue notices or citations when repairs are needed.
Santana is proposing the city assume the responsibility for repairing sidewalks adjacent to “single-family” homes if they are found to be damaged by street tree roots, then assign that responsibility back to property owners for future fixes.
Santana advises against the “fix and release” strategy for commercial properties. He said property owners should have one year to fix sidewalks before the inspection is done, and another year to do the repairs if the sidewalks are cited as needing them.
Santana also advised against most cost-sharing plans for now, because the city would be responsible for fixing residential sidewalks during the first few years, except for when the programs are aimed at encouraging more repairs.
The plan is being contemplated now that city leaders have agreed to spend $1.4 billion — or about $31 million a year — over three decades as part of a legal settlement with disability advocates to reduce the amount of crumbling sidewalks around the city.
The settlement requires that the city prioritize its repair spending starting with sidewalks outside city buildings and facilities, then transportation corridors, hospitals and other medical facilities, commercial and business areas, places of employment and finally, residential areas.
— City News Service