What’s new

Latest verifications & additions

• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Atlanta, GA
  Atlanta: the owner repairs on notice or is billed, but where City funding is available the City repairs sidewalks on a prioritized basis.
• 2026-10-03 Tree Roots: Philadelphia, PA
  Philadelphia: tree roots buckle your sidewalk, you still pay. No exception, not even for a city-planted street tree.
• 2026-10-03 Tree Roots: San Diego, CA
  San Diego splits it by the tree: right-of-way street trees are the City’s problem, private trees and plain old age are yours.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Oakland, CA
  Oakland: the property owner pays (OMC § 12.22.020(B)), but the City's Sidewalk Assistance Program repairs at no cost for qualifying low-income owner-occupied homes, subject to funding.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Albuquerque, NM
  Albuquerque puts sidewalk repair on the abutting owner, occupant, or agent, with a notice-and-cure process and a foreclosable lien behind it.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Omaha, NE
  Omaha runs on Nebraska's primary-class-city statute: the abutting owner holds the repair duty and, after notice, the injury liability. The city code adds a 24-hour snow clock and a sue-you-back clause.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Des Moines, IA
  Des Moines: the abutting owner must keep the sidewalk in good repair (Code 102-42). After a repair notice the owner has 180 days, and income-eligible owners can apply for a City subsidy.
• 2026-10-03 Tree Roots: San Antonio, TX
  San Antonio puts the tree strip on the owner: the code makes the abutting owner keep the sidewalk, parkway, curb and driveway free from defects. The City's Sidewalk Rebate Program pays back 50 to 70 percent of the repair cost, up to $3,000, while funds last.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Lincoln, NE
  Lincoln: the City repairs sidewalks along public streets, a duty it took on after the 1990 and 1992 elections. Owners who hire their own contractor can get part of the cost back when funds are available. Snow and ice are still the owner's job.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Lexington, KY
  Lexington: the owner is responsible for sidewalk repair, but the city's grant program can cover 100 percent of the cost for qualifying low-income owner-occupied homes that get a repair notice.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Denver, CO
  Denver: the City repairs sidewalks under the "Denver Deserves Sidewalks" program, funded by a recurring service charge on every property owner (owners still clear snow).
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Seattle, WA
  Seattle: the abutting owner is responsible for sidewalk repair, unless a City-owned tree or a City sewer line caused the damage; then the City repairs it.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Philadelphia, PA
  Philadelphia: the abutting owner is responsible for the footway and curb; City-performed work is assessed to owners but capped at 30 percent of cost.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Sacramento, CA
  Sacramento: the abutting owner must repair a defective sidewalk, even when a City-owned tree's roots caused it. If the City does the work, the owner may qualify for interest-free installments.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: San Diego, CA
  San Diego: responsibility is shared by cause, the City owns tree/utility/grade/heat damage, the owner owns wear-and-tear and private-tree damage.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Miami, FL
  Miami: the owner pays only when the damage was owner-caused or came from a tree on the private property, other causes fall to the City.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Cleveland, OH
  Cleveland: the abutting owner keeps the sidewalk in repair, but a voluntary 50/50 City program will split the cost of the work.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Colorado Springs, CO
  Colorado Springs: the City says owners are not responsible for maintaining the sidewalk concrete next to their property, though they keep legal liability for it. An owner can pay half to speed up a high-severity repair, and snow is always the owner's.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Jersey City, NJ
  Jersey City: the abutting owner is responsible for maintaining and replacing the sidewalk and curb, tree-root trip hazards included, and for clearing snow.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Corpus Christi, TX
  Corpus Christi: the abutting owner must keep the sidewalk in good repair, on default the City builds it and liens the cost.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Birmingham, AL
  Birmingham: the code tells the owner to repair a broken sidewalk within 10 days of the City Engineer's notice, but the City's Public Works Construction Division says it maintains and repairs City sidewalks, and the City has put money into sidewalk repairs. Report it through 311 before you hire anyone.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Newark, NJ
  Newark: the owner, lessee or occupant must pave and maintain the abutting sidewalk and curb at their own expense, and clear snow within 12 daylight hours.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: St. Petersburg, FL
  St. Petersburg: the abutting owner must keep the sidewalk in repair or, after 30 days’ notice, be treated as maintaining a nuisance.
• 2026-10-03 Sidewalk Repair: Chula Vista, CA
  Chula Vista: the code makes the abutting owner liable for sidewalk upkeep, but the City has been replacing sidewalks and slicing trip hazards with Measure P money since 2020. Report the spot to Public Works before you pay for a repair.
• 2026-10-03 The State of Repair Responsibility in America: 88 City Codes and All 50 State Statutes, Read Verbatim
  We verified who pays for sidewalk and sewer repairs in 88 US cities, then read the sidewalk statute of every US state verbatim. 64% of cities bill the owner for the public sidewalk. Oklahoma gives 3 days. In New Hampshire the statute says the city pays. Two states never wrote one.
• 2026-10-03 The US Cities Where the City Pays for Sidewalk Repair (Not You)
  In most US cities the homeowner pays to repair the public sidewalk. These are the cities we verified where the city foots the bill instead, with the ordinance or program cited for each.
• 2026-10-03 Who Pays for Sidewalk and Sewer Repair: The Complete City-by-City Guide
  Every US city with a source-verified sidewalk-repair verdict, plus detailed sewer and tree-root breakdowns. 95 sidewalk cities indexed by who pays (57 owner, 20 city, 18 shared or it depends), each linked to the actual code section and quote. Find your city.
• 2026-10-03 Tree Roots Broke It. Who Pays? City Trees vs Neighbor Trees
  When a root cracks your sidewalk or ruptures your sewer line, the answer depends on who owns the tree, who maintains it, and a sidewalk statute that may not care about either.
• 2026-10-01 Sidewalk Repair: Dallas, TX
  Dallas: the owner must replace a defective sidewalk, but the City's Cost Share Program splits the cost 50/50 for existing residential sidewalk. The owner pays 100% of a drive approach.
• 2026-10-01 Sidewalk Repair: Kansas City, MO
  Kansas City: the City repairs sidewalks through its GO Bond program and says it will no longer assess home owners for sidewalk repair. The code still tells owners not to let the sidewalk fall out of repair, and snow and ice are the owner's job.
• 2026-10-01 Sidewalk Repair: Madison, WI
  Madison: when the City replaces defective sidewalk in its Sidewalk Replacement Program, the cost is not assessed to the owner (policy revised in 2022). Extra sidewalk an owner asks the City to replace is paid 100% by the owner, and an owner who repairs on their own can get a rebate of about one third.
• 2026-10-01 Liability: Neighbor's Tree Fell on My House/Roof: Nationwide, US
  If a healthy tree falls on your house in a storm, insurance treats it as an act of nature: file with your own homeowners insurer, not the neighbor's. If the tree was dead, diseased or visibly leaning and the neighbor knew but didn't remove it, the neighbor can be responsible for the damage if negligence can be proven. Photograph the tree and put the neighbor on notice in writing.
• 2026-10-01 Municipal Liability: Sewer Main Backup Into My Home: Houston, TX
  Houston's Legal Department says the City will not reimburse sewage cleanup or repair from a clogged sewer line, because under State law it is not liable for that damage. Any property damage claim against the City still needs a verified written notice within 90 days.
• 2026-10-01 Insurance Coverage: Tree Falling on House: General, US
  If a tree falls on your house, your own homeowners policy covers the damage, no matter who owned the tree.
• 2026-10-01 Claim Against the City: Deadline: Los Angeles, CA
  To claim storm or sewer damage against the City of Los Angeles, file within six months for personal property or one year for real property.
• 2026-10-01 Claim Against the City: Sewer Backup and Flooding: San Diego, CA
  San Diego accepts claims for sewer main back-ups and flooding; most must be presented within six months of the incident.
• 2026-10-01 Claim Against the City: Deadline: San Francisco, CA
  To claim storm damage against San Francisco, file within 6 months for personal property or 1 year for real property.
• 2026-10-01 Storm Power Outage: Food Spoilage: California, CA
  California utilities say storm-caused outages are generally outside their responsibility; a homeowners policy may cover up to $500 of spoiled food.
• 2026-10-01 Disaster Assistance: FEMA Individuals and Households Program: General, US
  FEMA can help homeowners and renters with uninsured storm losses, but it is not a substitute for insurance.
• 2026-10-01 Ohio and Wisconsin Sidewalk Law: How the Owner-Pays Machine Actually Works
  Ohio makes owner-pays optional for cities (ORC 723.011); Wisconsin gives owners 20 days before the city repairs and bills through the tax roll (Wis. Stat. 66.0907). The statutes, verbatim.
• 2026-10-01 El Niño Storm Season 2026-27: Who Pays for Sandbags, Flooding, Mudslides and Roof Leaks
  NOAA expects a very strong El Niño this winter. Free sandbag limits city by city, the 30-day flood insurance wait, mudslide exclusions, claim deadlines against the city, and what a landlord must fix after a storm, each quoted from the official source.
• 2026-09-30 Insurance Coverage: Flood Damage: General, US
  Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. You need a separate flood policy, through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer, and renters can buy one too.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: Los Angeles, CA
  Yes: Los Angeles fire stations hand out free ready-to-fill sandbags, up to 25 per household, but the department does not fill, deliver, install or remove them.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: San Diego, CA
  San Diego makes empty sandbags available at recreation centers, up to 10 per household or business; sand is not provided.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: San Francisco, CA
  San Francisco Public Works gives residents and businesses up to 10 free sandbags before and during severe storms; bring proof of address.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: Oakland, CA
  When heavy rain is forecast, Oakland Public Works provides up to 10 sandbags and plastic sheeting to residents while supplies last.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: Long Beach, CA
  Long Beach residents can get sand and up to 10 sandbags by showing ID; bring your own shovel.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: Sacramento County, CA
  In unincorporated Sacramento County the county supplies sand and bags, 20 per visit; bring a shovel.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: San Jose, CA
  San Jose residents can get free-filled sandbags through Valley Water, with a listed site at the City Central Service Yard, November 1 to April 15.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: Fresno, CA
  Fresno County gives County residents empty sandbags free at road yards; you bring the shovel and fill them yourself.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Season: Free Sandbags: Tampa, FL
  Tampa gives each property owner ten sandbags per storm event, but only after an emergency declaration; bring proof of city residence.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Drains: Street Flooding: San Francisco, CA
  The city clears San Francisco catch basins; call 311 for an overflowing one and keep your sidewalk free of leaves.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Drains: Street Flooding: Los Angeles, CA
  The city cleans Los Angeles catch basins, and LA Sanitation asks residents to report clogged ones.
• 2026-09-30 Storm Drains: Ditches and Culverts: Houston, TX
  Houston maintains storm sewers and ditches, but you must keep the ditch in front of your property clear and replace a damaged driveway culvert.
• 2026-09-30 Mudslide and Debris Flow: Who Pays: California, CA
  Standard California homeowner policies generally exclude mudslide and debris flow damage and the NFIP does not cover landslide damage; a wildfire cause may change that.
• 2026-09-30 Renter Storm Damage: Roof Leak Repair: California, CA
  In California a rental that substantially lacks a weatherproof roof and exterior walls is untenantable, and the landlord must repair it.
• 2026-09-29 Liability: Contractor Did Defective Work, Must They Fix It: Nationwide, TX
  In Texas you cannot go straight to court over a contractor defect: send a written notice at least 60 days before filing suit, and the contractor then has 60 days to make a settlement offer.
• 2026-09-29 Liability: Contractor Didn't Finish and Took Deposit: Nationwide, CA
  Never let payments get ahead of completed work, withhold final payment until the job is done and you're satisfied. If a licensed contractor walks off with your deposit, in California you can file a claim directly against the contractor's surety bond.
• 2026-09-29 Liability: Damaged Mailbox, Who Repairs It: Nationwide, US
  Under USPS rules the purchase, installation, maintenance and replacement of your mailbox are not the Postal Service's responsibility; willful destruction of a mailbox is a separate federal crime.
• 2026-09-29 Rental / Landlord-Tenant Repair: Statewide, MI
  In Michigan, every lease implies a covenant that the landlord will keep the premises fit and in reasonable repair under MCL Section 554.139, unless the disrepair was caused by the tenant's own willful or irresponsible conduct.
• 2026-09-29 Rental: Landlord Won't Repair (Remedies): Statewide, CA
  In California, if the landlord won't fix a habitability problem after notice, the tenant may repair and deduct up to one month's rent (twice per year max) or vacate under Civil Code § 1942.
• 2026-09-29 Rental: Landlord Won't Repair (Remedies): Statewide, TX
  In Texas, if the landlord fails to repair a health/safety condition within a reasonable time, the tenant may have it fixed and deduct the cost from rent, capped at one month's rent or $500 under Property Code § 92.0561.
• 2026-09-29 Rental: City Repair/Heat Ordinance: Seattle, WA
  Seattle's Housing and Building Maintenance Code sets citywide minimum heat and maintenance standards for every rental building, enforceable by the city.
• 2026-09-29 Security Deposit: Damage vs Wear: Statewide, PA
  Pennsylvania landlords must itemize damage claims within 30 days, or they forfeit the right to withhold any of the deposit or sue for damages (68 P.S. 250.512).
• 2026-09-29 Insurance Coverage: Sewer/Drain Backup: General, US
  Many homeowners policies do not cover sewer or drain backup; a sewer backup rider, about $50 a year per the Insurance Information Institute, adds it.
• 2026-09-29 Insurance Coverage: Foundation Problems: General, US
  Standard homeowners insurance excludes earth movement like landslides and earthquakes, so foundation damage from those causes is not covered.
• 2026-09-29 Insurance Coverage: Roof Damage: General, US
  Homeowners insurance covers roof damage from storms like wind or hail, but not damage from age or wear, and older roofs face added scrutiny.
• 2026-09-29 Well / Septic: Repair: General, US
  The property owner (or HOA/responsible management entity) is responsible for septic system repairs and replacement, per EPA, the duty to fix a failed system applies even if a planned sale falls through.
• 2026-09-29 Well / Septic: Routine Maintenance: General, US
  Routine septic inspection and pumping cost falls on the home/property owner, per EPA, renters are on the hook only for proper use, not the pump-out bill.
• 2026-09-29 Well / Septic: Point-of-Sale Inspection: General, MA
  Massachusetts law makes the property owner/operator responsible for arranging the mandatory pre-sale septic inspection by default, though buyer and seller can reassign this in writing.
• 2026-09-29 Flood Insurance: Waiting Period: General, US
  A new federal flood policy usually starts 30 days after you buy it, so buy well before a storm arrives.
• 2026-09-29 Curbs and Gutters: Public Asset, Private Bill?
  The curb is in public right-of-way, so why does the repair notice have your address on it? In the cities we have verified, the code says the abutting owner maintains it. Here are the exact sections.
• 2026-09-29 The Driveway Apron: The Strip of Concrete Nobody Knows They Own
  The apron is where your driveway crosses into the public right-of-way. Some codes name it directly, some never mention it, and one county runs a program for it. Here is how to find out which kind of city you live in.
• 2026-09-29 Sewer Lateral Inspection in Chicago: The City Process Most Homeowners Learn About Too Late
  Chicago will repair a broken private drain in the public way for free, but only through a process that requires a televised inspection with a city inspector present. Here is the actual procedure, from the city's own flyer.
• 2026-09-29 Georgia and Maryland Sidewalk Law: What the Statute Book Actually Says (Less Than You Think)
  Georgia's municipal street statutes never say the word sidewalk; the connection runs through a definition. Maryland's Express Powers Act grants cities cleaning authority only. We walked every section to prove it.
• 2026-09-29 Kentucky and Tennessee Sidewalk Law: The State With No Statute and the Two-Thirds Frontage Rule
  Kentucky repealed its sidewalk statutes and left everything to city home rule. Tennessee kept a 1913 improvement act that puts at least two-thirds of the cost on abutting owners by frontage. Verified against the statutes.
• 2026-09-29 Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont Sidewalk Law: The Town-Duty North, and the Statute That Says the City Pays
  Northern New England never wrote an owner-pays sidewalk statute. New Hampshire went further: RSA 231:113 orders cities to repair sidewalks "without further assessment to the abutting owner." The town-duty model, verbatim.
• 2026-09-29 Massachusetts and North Carolina Sidewalk Law: Two States Where the Law Leans Your Way
  North Carolina statute makes sidewalk repair the city's duty outright. Massachusetts protects towns instead, with a 30-day injury notice and a damages cap most people have never heard of.
• 2026-09-29 North Dakota and South Dakota Sidewalk Law: The 20-Year Payment Plan and the Public Nuisance
  North Dakota wrote the most complete sidewalk statute in the country, including a 20-year installment plan and an owner petition that can force construction. South Dakota calls your broken sidewalk a public nuisance and makes you liable for it.
• 2026-09-29 Sidewalk Law by State: All 50 Statutes in One Table
  Who pays for sidewalk repair in every US state, from the statutes themselves. Owner-pays machines, city-duty states, deadline clocks from 3 days to 30, and the two states that never wrote a sidewalk law. Every row links to the verbatim statute.
• 2026-09-29 Snow and Ice Sidewalk Liability: The States Where a Slip Becomes Your Lawsuit
  Sidewalk repair and sidewalk snow are different legal machines. Connecticut hands owners the town's slip-and-fall liability. Iowa writes owner liability into the statute. New Hampshire immunizes its towns for weather. The winter map, verbatim.
• 2026-09-29 Who Pays for Sewer Lateral Repair? The City-by-City Map
  A sewer lateral repair runs $5,000 to $15,000, and who pays depends entirely on your city. We verified the rule in 43 US cities against the utility or code itself. The full index, the table, and the five patterns behind it.
• 2026-09-29 Can the City Force You to Pay for Sidewalk Repair? Usually Yes, and Here Is How
  In about two-thirds of US cities the answer is yes: the city sends a notice, and if you do not repair the public sidewalk it does the work and bills you or liens your property. The mechanism, the exceptions, and what to do if you get a notice.
• 2026-09-29 Who Pays When a Tree Cracks the Sidewalk? It Depends Whose Tree
  When tree roots lift a public sidewalk, who pays turns almost entirely on whose tree it is. City street tree in the right-of-way often means the city pays; a tree on your own property usually means you do. The city-by-city split, cited.
• 2026-09-29 Is the Balcony Mine or the HOA’s? Who Pays for Deck and Balcony Repair in a Condo
  The balcony is the question HOA owners get wrong most. Three big condo states answer it three different ways: California splits maintenance from replacement, Washington puts it on the association, Florida sends you to the declaration. The verified statutes, cited.
• 2026-09-29 Can I Cut My Neighbor’s Tree Branches Hanging Over My Yard? (And Who Pays)
  You can almost always trim what crosses the property line, at your own expense. Whether you can make your neighbor pay depends on your state and on whether the tree is actually causing harm. The rules, with the leading cases quoted.
• 2026-09-29 Who Pays When a Neighbor’s Tree Falls on Your House?
  The rule is notice: a tree owner usually isn’t liable when a healthy tree falls in a storm, but is liable if they knew or should have known the tree was dangerous. The two cases that set the standard, quoted, and what it means for your claim.
• 2026-09-29 Who Pays to Remove a Dead Tree on the Property Line?
  If the trunk straddles the boundary, the tree is owned in common by both neighbors; neither can remove it or bill the other without consent. The rule turns on where the trunk stands, not the roots. The statute and the case test, quoted.
• 2026-09-29 A City Tree Damaged Your Property: Do You Still Pay?
  Cities are not automatically liable when a tree they own falls. The claim runs through the same actual/constructive-notice rule private owners get, plus government tort immunity. The statutes and the case, quoted, and how to file.
• 2026-09-29 An HOA Contractor Damaged My Unit: Who Is Liable?
  When an HOA's hired contractor damages your unit during a common-element repair, the contractor is usually primarily liable; the HOA generally is not, unless it hired negligently, kept control of the work, or the job was inherently dangerous. The rule and the exceptions, with the cases quoted.
• 2026-09-29 Florida Condos After Surfside: Who Pays for the Milestone Inspection and Structural Reserves
  Since 2022, older Florida condo buildings must get milestone structural inspections and fund a reserve study for the structure. Who pays: the owners, through reserves and often a special assessment. The law, cited.
• 2026-09-29 Who Pays for Condo and HOA Repairs in Texas? (Including the Windows-and-Doors Rule)
  Texas condos follow the common-element rule (association maintains the common elements, owner maintains the unit), but the statute puts windows and doors serving only your unit on you, even outside your boundary. The law, cited.
• 2026-09-29 Security Deposit: What Your Landlord Can and Can't Deduct (by State)
  Normal wear and tear is the landlord’s cost, not yours. Tenant-caused damage can be deducted, and deposits must come back by a state deadline, itemized.
• 2026-09-29 My Landlord Won't Make Repairs: What Can I Do? (State-by-State)
  State-by-state remedies when a landlord won't repair: repair-and-deduct caps, rent escrow, lease termination, and where only a court can help.
• 2026-09-29 Does Homeowners Insurance Cover This Repair? A Repair-by-Repair Guide
  Sewer backup, foundation, mold, roof, trees, water damage, flood: a repair-by-repair look at what a standard policy covers and what needs an endorsement.
• 2026-09-29 Who Pays for Septic and Well Repairs? The Rural Homeowner's Guide
  A private septic system and well are the owner's to maintain; shared systems follow the recorded agreement, and a city can force a paid sewer hookup.
• 2026-09-29 New-Home Defects: Is the Builder Responsible? (Warranty & Statute of Repose by State)
  A builder is usually liable for defects under warranty, but a repair-notice process and a hard repose deadline both apply. State-by-state rules, quoted.
• 2026-09-29 Condo Water Damage: Who Pays When It Leaks From the Unit Above?
  The association covers common elements, you cover your unit and HO-6, but a negligent owner can end up owing the gap. Verified condo-act rules, cited.
• 2026-09-29 Mold and Bed Bugs in a Rental: Who Pays? (State-by-State)
  Mold or bed bugs from a building defect are usually the landlord’s under habitability law; tenant-caused problems can shift the cost. State rules, cited.
• 2026-09-29 Commercial Lease Repairs: Who Pays, Landlord or Tenant? (NNN vs Gross)
  NNN tenants usually pay repairs; gross-lease landlords usually do; modified gross splits it by negotiation. The lease controls, not the label.