NYC Admin Code §7-210 makes property owners (other than 1-3 family owner-occupied homes) liable for all sidewalk defects and injuries. DOT issues repair violation notices; owners who fail to repair face city-performed repairs billed back.
Under NYC Administrative Code §7-210 (enacted 2003), property owners are responsible for maintaining the public sidewalk abutting their property in reasonably safe condition, and are liable in tort for injuries caused by sidewalk defects. The key exception: owner-occupied 1-, 2-, or 3-family residential properties used exclusively for residential purposes retain the pre-2003 rule where the city is liable. NYC DOT inspects sidewalks and issues Sidewalk Repair Violations identifying specific defects (trip hazards over ½ inch, patches, missing flags). Owners typically have 75 days to repair. If they fail, DOT may perform the repair and bill the owner, often at $40–$70 per square foot, which becomes a tax lien. Repairs require a DOT Sidewalk Construction Permit and must meet NYC sidewalk specifications (4 in concrete, score lines, ADA ramps). All-concrete sidewalks remain standard; bluestone is only allowed in LPC historic districts.
Failure to repair after DOT notice: city performs repair and bills owner; costs become tax lien. Injuries cause tort liability under §7-210.
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