Under CA Streets and Highways Code 5610, adjacent property owners in unincorporated San Bernardino County are responsible for maintaining and repairing sidewalks fronting their property.
California Streets and Highways Code Section 5610 establishes that the property owner adjacent to a sidewalk is responsible for its repair and maintenance in unincorporated San Bernardino County. This includes keeping the sidewalk free of trip hazards, fixing cracks, grinding uplifted slabs, and replacing broken panels. Under the Improvement Act of 1911, if an owner fails to repair after notice, the county may perform the work and assess the cost against the property, which may become a lien. Many unincorporated desert and rural areas lack sidewalks entirely — the rule applies only where sidewalks exist. Tree-root damage is typically the owner responsibility unless the tree is in a county-maintained right-of-way. Contact San Bernardino County Public Works at (909) 387-8044 for sidewalk permit requirements and to report damaged sidewalks. All sidewalk repair work requires an encroachment permit.
Failure to repair sidewalk after notice: county performs work, owner billed plus administrative fee and possible property lien. Unpermitted sidewalk work: stop-work order plus doubled permit fees.
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