# Who Pays for Sidewalk Repair in New Orleans? The Owner | Who Pays the Repair?

> In New Orleans the residential or commercial property owner must keep the sidewalk free of hazards, and the City can bill the owner if it has to make the repair.

**Who pays:** owner

New Orleans: the property owner maintains the sidewalk, though a Katrina-recovery program funds some repairs done alongside larger city projects.

**Boundary:** Maintaining a sidewalk in a proper state, free from hazardous conditions, is the responsibility of the residential or commercial property owner. The City may bill owners if it must repair a sidewalk for public safety.

**Property owner:** City of New Orleans Public Works: "Maintaining a sidewalk in a proper state, free from hazardous conditions is the responsibility of the residential or commercial property owner."

**City / agency:** The Recovery Roads Program (RoadworkNOLA) provides some funding for sidewalks damaged by Hurricane Katrina, as part of larger city construction projects. Outside that program, the city may repair and bill the owner for public-safety hazards.

**Exceptions:** Recovery Roads Program (RoadworkNOLA): funds some Katrina-related sidewalk damage tied to larger city construction projects

## Sources
- [City of New Orleans Public Works: Sidewalks (owner duty + Recovery Roads exception)](https://nola.gov/NEXT/Public-Works/Topics/Sidewalks) — "Maintaining a sidewalk in a proper state, free from hazardous conditions is the responsibility of the residential or commercial property owner." (accessed 2026-09-27)
- [City of New Orleans official government site](https://nola.gov) (accessed 2026-09-05)
- [Sidewalks | Public Works](https://nola.gov/NEXT/Public-Works/Topics/Sidewalks) — "the Recovery Roads Program, also known as RoadworkNOLA, includes funding for repairs of some sidewalks damaged by Hurricane Katrina as part of larger construction projects executed by the City." (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-05. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/new-orleans-la-sidewalk-repair/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._