Imagine you’re walking on the sidewalk and all of a sudden you trip over a piece of concrete that’s raised above the ground.
Not to worry, because the city council announced a plan that some have dubbed a “fix and release,” where the city would initially shoulder the cost of repairs for sidewalks adjacent to businesses and homes, but the responsibility would eventually transfer to the property owners. Under the plan, each repair comes with a warranty that would guarantee one more repair by the city.
The plan comes in the wake of a settlement after the city was sued by disabled residents and advocacy groups over the sorry state of their sidewalks. As part of the settlement, a reported $1.3 billion has been set aside for repairs.
If approved, the program could start as early as July.
