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Los Angeles Has A $1.3 Billion Plan To Fix Its Terrible Sidewalks
Photo by GarySe7en via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
Forced last year to
spend over $1 billion to fix Los Angeles' notoriously terrible sidewalks
, the city is close to approving a plan that would get the repairs done.On Monday, two City Council committees backed a plan that some have dubbed a "fix and release," where the city would initially shoulder the cost of repairs for sidewalks adjacent to businesses and homes, but the responsibility would eventually transfer to the property owners. Under the plan, each repair comes with a warranty that would guarantee one more repair by the city.
The L.A. Times reports that the warranty would last 20 years for sidewalks adjacent to a residential property and 5 years for ones adjacent to businesses. Homeowners would also get a rebate if they proactively fixed damaged sidewalks before the city did.
The plan, drawn up by City Hall, still needs to be approved by the City Council, but has support from its members. "We're finally at a point where we're taking on what has been a seemingly impossible challenge to past councils," said councilman Paul Krekorian, reports The Daily News .
The plan comes in the wake of a settlement after the city was sued by disabled residents and advocacy groups over the sorry state of their sidewalks. As part of the settlement, a reported $1.3 billion has been set aside for repairs.
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Under the plan, the city would also roll back an ordinance that made the city financially responsible for sidewalks damaged by trees. While state law says property owners are financially responsible for sidewalk repairs, the city of Los Angeles took on the responsibility for tree-damaged sidewalks when there was plenty of federal money for the repairs during the 1970s. Since then the federal funding has dried up, which is what "got us in this mess to begin with," councilman Joe Buscaino told the Times.
Although the plan has been hailed by a few homeowners advocates as "a step in the right direction," some homeowners feel that the city should be responsible after years of disrepair.
If approved, the program could start as early as July.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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