A bill intended to relieve homeowners of sidewalk repair cost and liability was voted out of the Assembly Local Government Committee on April 9. The Ventura County Star reported on April 10 that Assemblywoman Audra Strickland (R-A37) had introduced a bill to require that cities pay for and fix broken sidewalks.

Strickland proposed a bill, AB1985, that would have specified that cities and counties are solely responsible for the repair of sidewalks and shoulder sole liability for injuries caused by sidewalks in ill repair. The measure was voted down in the Assembly Local Government Committee on a party-line vote, with majority Democrats opposed.

However, the bill also mandated that sidewalk repair costs incurred by the cities would have been reimbursed by the state.

Funding to cash-strapped cities for sidewalk repairs is an important issue especially in the City of Los Angeles, which is considering a Point-of-Sale mandate to require payment for sidewalks repairs and inspections in escrow. The South Bay Association of REALTORS® has joined with other local REALTOR® associations to opposed this proposal. In fact, we found in some cases due to the high construction costs, repair expenses due in escrow could rise as high as $7,000!

We are continuing to work with city officials in Los Angeles for a more effective and efficient solution to repair sidewalks without putting this expense on the backs of home sellers and REALORS®. Watch this space for more information on sidewalk repairs in Los Angeles.