# Tree-Root Sidewalk Damage in Anaheim, CA: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> In Anaheim the owner pays to repair sidewalk damage caused by a tree on their property, even when the sidewalk itself is City-owned.

**Who pays:** owner

Anaheim: the owner pays to repair sidewalk damage caused by a tree on their property, even when the sidewalk itself is City-owned.

**Boundary:** Anaheim Municipal Code § 12.29.010 makes the owner of a property whose tree causes an adjacent City-owned sidewalk to crack, uplift or depress responsible for repairing the sidewalk and, if necessary, removing the tree. The general sidewalk-maintenance duty also rests on the owner under CA S&H § 5610. (The code does not separately allocate damage caused by a City street tree.)

**Property owner:** Repair sidewalk damage caused by a tree on the owner’s property, even where the sidewalk is City-owned (§ 12.29.010); maintain the fronting sidewalk generally (§ 5610).

**City / agency:** On owner default the City may repair and bill the owner (§ 12.29.030). The code does not codify a City-pays rule for City-street-tree root damage.

## Sources
- [Anaheim Municipal Code § 12.29.010 (owner responsible for private-tree root sidewalk damage)](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/anaheim/latest/anaheim_ca/0-0-0-60909) — "The owner of any property on which is situated a tree which causes an adjacent City-owned sidewalk to become cracked, uplifted or depressed due to growth of roots or other material below or next to the sidewalk shall be responsible for repair of the damaged sidewalk" (accessed 2026-09-09)
- [California Streets & Highways Code § 5610 (owner duty to maintain fronting sidewalk)](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=SHC&sectionNum=5610) — "The owners of lots or portions of lots fronting on any portion of a public street or place when that street or place is improved ... shall maintain any sidewalk in such condition that the sidewalk will not endanger persons or property" (accessed 2026-09-09)

_Last verified 2026-09-09. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/anaheim-ca-tree-roots/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._