City To Take Responsibility For Tree Damaged Sidewalks (renters, home)

[BugsyPal]

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, but finally this mayor's administration gets something right.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...ddu-story.html

https://www.silive.com/news/2019/09/...ity-trees.html

Forcing homeowners to take responsibility for something they often didn't want and certainly didn't create isn't right.

[SoullessOne]

Wait what!! So the city was issuing violations to home owners for damaged sidewalks that was caused buy trees the city planted?

Wow that's a whole new low.....
So what happens to homeowners that already paid the violations, are they getting some kind of refund?

[Airborneguy]

This nonsense has caught up many in my circle of family and friends. My friend’s grandmother recently almost died after a fall in front of her home because she finally gave up fixing a sidewalk that the city tree kept messing back up. It’s sick all of the demands this city places on its homeowners.

[city living]

Originally Posted by Airborneguy

This nonsense has caught up many in my circle of family and friends. My friend’s grandmother recently almost died after a fall in front of her home because she finally gave up fixing a sidewalk that the city tree kept messing back up. It’s sick all of the demands this city places on its homeowners.

Up the block from where I used to live this guy was sued by someone when she fell and broke her arm. She tripped on a raised sidewalk that was caused by a tree.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by SoullessOne

Wait what!! So the city was issuing violations to home owners for damaged sidewalks that was caused buy trees the city planted?

It sounds crazy that property owners were paying for this previously!

[Airborneguy]

It’s not even so much the fact that homeowners had to maintain the sidewalk - that sucks but...

Imagine having a tree that constantly ruins the sidewalk and you can’t do anything about it BUT still have to fix the sidewalk or face fines.

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by BugsyPal

finally this mayor's administration gets something right.

more like they were losing in court and clued in on avoiding legal costs

[OyCrumbler]

This is the right thing to do, so hooray?

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by Chava61

It sounds crazy that property owners were paying for this previously!

In a city of renters many don't grasp and or know certain things.

Property line extends out from building to several feet before the curb. That is why among other things you see those metal doors on sidewalks in front of buildings. They lead to basements which extend out beyond building. Years ago many of those doors lead to coal chutes/storage areas where that stuff was delivered.

In any event by law owners must maintain their property including the sidewalk. This is why owners have to keep sidewalks clear of snow/ice, trash, in good repair etc... or face violations from city and or being sued in court.

Trees are planted on city property (that several feet between gutter/curb and where private property ends), but their roots can extend far beyond including often under sidewalks.

Because city owns that property they can plant all the trees they want; but it was unfair to force private property owners to deal with the consequences and repercussions. Many didn't want the GD tree in first place, but were saddled with cracked/damaged sidewalks that they were responsible for correcting.