If the repair is yours to pay
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Default rule and exceptions
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation plants, prunes, and removes every street tree in the city, but the Philadelphia Code puts sidewalk-safety duty on the property owner with no carve-out for tree-root damage, so the owner pays to fix the sidewalk even when a City-maintained tree caused the damage.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Maintain sidewalks in a safe condition, including repairing damage caused by tree roots, with no exception for city-owned trees. |
| City | Philadelphia Parks & Recreation manages all street trees in the city, responsible for planting, pruning, and removing them; the trees themselves are owned by the property owner. |
| Exceptions | There are no exceptions for sidewalk damage caused by tree roots. |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Sep 26, 2026.
The City of Philadelphia has jurisdiction over street trees, but the trees are owned by the property owner...Philadelphia Parks & Recreation manages all street trees (as well as park trees) in the city of Philadelphia and is responsible for planting, pruning, and removing street trees.
Philadelphia Code states that the property owner is responsible for maintaining their sidewalks in a safe condition. There are no exceptions for damage to sidewalks caused by tree roots.
City rules rest on state law. Read Pennsylvania's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for street tree / parkway in Philadelphia, PA?
Responsibility is shared. Maintain sidewalks in a safe condition, including repairing damage caused by tree roots, with no exception for city-owned trees.
Are there exceptions in Philadelphia, PA?
There are no exceptions for sidewalk damage caused by tree roots.
What is this based on for Philadelphia, PA?
This verdict is sourced to Street tree frequently asked questions: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Street tree frequently asked questions: Philadelphia Parks & Recreationofficial-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
- Street tree frequently asked questions: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (same page, sidewalk-damage answer)official-guide · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-13
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