Short answer: the property owner. Under San Francisco Public Works Code Section 706, whoever owns the lot that fronts a sidewalk is responsible for keeping it in repair, in the Inner Richmond and everywhere else in the city. The exception is damage from street trees: the city has been responsible for street trees since 2017, so root-caused damage can shift some or all of the cost back to the city.
- You maintain the sidewalk in front of your property (Public Works Code Section 706).
- Public Works inspects every sidewalk on a roughly 25-year cycle and issues a Notice to Repair when it finds damage.
- You can hire your own licensed contractor or let the city fold you into its contract and bill you.
- Street-tree root damage may be partly or fully the city’s cost.
- Only permitted, inspected squares built to city spec close a notice. Asphalt patch doesn’t.
Why is the owner responsible if the sidewalk is public?
The sidewalk sits in the public right-of-way, but San Francisco puts the upkeep on the adjacent owner. Section 706 of the Public Works Code makes the owner of the property fronting a sidewalk responsible for maintaining it. That includes keeping squares level, closing open cracks and replacing broken sections, whether you live in an Inner Richmond flat, a Western Addition Victorian or a Sunset rowhouse.
What is a Notice to Repair?
A Notice to Repair (NTR) comes from San Francisco Public Works’ Sidewalk Inspection and Repair Program. The city surveys sidewalks on a cycle of about 25 years and puts transit routes, schools and hospitals first. When inspectors find lifted, cracked or broken squares in front of your lot, they mark them and send you a notice.
You then have two choices: hire your own licensed contractor to do the work, or wait and let the city fold your squares into its own repair contract and bill you for it. Many owners prefer to choose their own contractor so they get a fixed written price up front.
Do I still pay if a street tree damaged my sidewalk?
Often not all of it. Since 2017, street trees in San Francisco have been the city’s responsibility, and in many cases that extends to sidewalk damage caused by their roots. A good quote separates root-caused squares from the rest, so you can push that portion back to the city instead of paying for it yourself.
Warning signs worth fixing before a notice arrives
- A square that sits higher than the one next to it, especially at a joint
- Open cracks you can fit a coin into
- Squares tipped up near a tree basin
- Broken or crumbling pieces at the curb edge
Liability doesn’t wait for the city. If someone trips on a lifted edge in front of your home, that claim falls on the owner, notice or not. Fixing raised edges and open cracks early usually costs less than dealing with them after an inspector, or a lawyer, finds them.
A quick check you can do yourself
Walk the length of your frontage and look at every joint. Note any square that rocks, sits proud of its neighbor or has cracks running across it. Take a photo of each one, plus a wide shot of the whole frontage. If a notice has already arrived, photograph the notice and the paint marks the inspector left on the flagged squares. Those photos are usually enough for a contractor to give you a written quote within a couple of days.
What we check and do
- Quote from your notice: only the flagged squares, unless you ask for more
- Note which damage is root-caused, so that share can go back to the city
- Pull the Sidewalk Repair Permit through the Public Works Permit Center
- Remove the damaged squares, prepare the base and pour to city spec
- Schedule the city inspection and hand you the closeout paperwork once the notice is closed
Pricing is per square and depends on what’s underneath. A straight square replacement is relatively modest; root remediation and curb work add to the cost. Either way, you get a fixed written price before work starts.
Repair or replace?
Not every crack means tearing out a whole run of sidewalk. If there’s no notice and the damage is minor, a targeted repair may be enough for now. Once a Notice to Repair is issued, though, only replacement squares built to city spec, permitted and inspected will close it. Asphalt cold patch is a temporary fix for a trip hazard; the city does not accept it to close a notice.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do first after getting a Notice to Repair?
Don’t ignore it, and don’t panic. Photograph the notice and the marked squares and send them to a licensed contractor for a quote. Hiring your own contractor before the city folds you into its contract lets you control the price and the schedule.
How much does sidewalk repair cost in San Francisco?
It’s priced per square, plus whatever is going on underneath. Tree-root remediation and curb work add cost. Root-caused damage may be partly or fully the city’s responsibility, so ask your contractor to separate it in the quote.
Can I just patch the sidewalk with asphalt?
Only as a short-term trip-hazard fix. Asphalt cold patch won’t close a Notice to Repair; the city requires permitted, inspected replacement to its spec.
Does sidewalk work need a permit?
Yes. Replacement squares need a Sidewalk Repair Permit from the Public Works Permit Center, and the city inspects the work before the notice is closed. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection.
Get a fixed price for your sidewalk
San Francisco Concrete Contractors is licensed and insured and handles sidewalk repairs across the city, from the Inner Richmond to Bernal Heights. We pull the permits, pass the inspection and close the notice. Send a photo of your notice and the marked squares, or call (415) 687-3728 (Mon–Sat, 8 AM–7 PM) for a free on-site estimate with a written price. Learn more about our sidewalk repair service, or see all the San Francisco neighborhoods we serve.
Leave a Reply