Under NYC Admin Code 19-152, Manhattan property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing the sidewalk adjoining their property; fines range roughly $100-$2,500.
New York County (Manhattan) property owners bear the legal duty to install, reinstall, construct, reconstruct, repave, and repair the sidewalk flags abutting their property under NYC Administrative Code 19-152. DOT issues Notices of Violation when sidewalks are defective (trip hazards, spalling concrete, improper slope, tree-root heaves). Owners typically have 75 days to correct defects after notice; failure results in DOT contracting the repair and billing the owner, plus fines commonly ranging from 100 dollars to 2,500 dollars depending on severity and recurrence. One-to-three-family owner-occupied homes outside of commercial districts receive some exceptions. Under NYC Admin Code 7-210, owners are also civilly liable for trip-and-fall injuries caused by defective sidewalks, except for owner-occupied 1-3 family residences.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how New York County's sidewalk repair rules stack up against other locations.
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