San Leandro, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Section 5-1-415 places the repair obligation squarely on the property owner: any person owning real property in the City must repair a dangerous or defective sidewalk lying in front of or along the side of that property. Tenants of the property have a parallel but distinct duty: they must report any dangerous or defective sidewalk to the Public Works Director in writing rather than fix it themselves. The section also creates a private recourse for injured parties: if a person exercising ordinary care is hurt or suffers property damage because of a dangerous or defective sidewalk, that person can pursue damages against whichever party dropped the ball, either the owner who failed to repair the defect or the tenant who failed to report it.

Separately, § 5-1-420 lets the City step in directly: San Leandro adopts by reference Chapter 22, Part 3, Division 7 of the California Streets and Highways Code for maintaining and repairing sidewalks and assessing the cost of that work, and the Public Works Director retains discretion to use any other lawful method to get sidewalks repaired. That adopted state process is supplementary and alternative to the City's other enforcement authority, so it does not replace the owner's direct duty under § 5-1-415, and the section clarifies it does not create any new cause of action or City liability beyond what already exists.