San Jose finance officials have hit more than 100 property owners with debt claims for failing to pay thousands of dollars for sidewalk repairs outside their homes.
The City Council earlier this month approved potential penalties for 111 properties that owe a total $307,000 in mandatory sidewalk repairs as of May 8 — the number has since shrunk to 82, according to city housing officials. Homeowners have about one year to make the repairs by either hiring city contractors or their own contractors. If they don’t comply, homeowners will be penalized with a lien on their 2025-26 Santa Clara County property tax statements.
“Following council’s approval of staff’s recommendations, a special assessment would be placed on the property tax bill of delinquent property owners to recover sidewalk repair costs,” John Kachmanian, San Jose deputy director of finance, said at the June 17 meeting.
City fines and repair notices have been controversial among low-income homeowners financially burdened by an average bill of $3,000 for sidewalk repairs. The repairs include fixing cracks and blemishes along the walkway to reduce blight and prevent tripping hazards. On average, homeowners take 18 months to address repair costs.
Since last year, the city’s financial hardship program meant to assist homeowners with the cost of sidewalk repairs received 289 requests for help. The city approved less than half, 124 properties, for financial hardship assistance worth almost $400,000. This is in contrast to 158 requests and 74 properties approved for $282,000 in financial assistance during the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Homeowners earning less than 80% of the area median income (AMI) and those making 50% of the AMI are eligible to have their entire costs waived.
San Jose Transportation Director John Ristow said the city usually awards the entire amount of funds allocated by the city council because of the high number of requests. Repair costs are issued most often after residents walking in the area report an “imperfection,” which leads to a city inspection. He said trees and other openings in the sidewalk hamper safety for pedestrians.
“We do over 5,000 sidewalk repairs a year, and almost 70% of those are actually done by the property owner using their own contractors, which is usually faster and cheaper and easier,” Ristow said at the meeting. “For those folks that don’t want to use their own contractors, that’s where we come in.”
The Alum Rock neighborhood in East San Jose is heavily impacted by sidewalk repair fees. Homeowners in the area said hiring their own contractors is much more cost efficient.
“We went through repairing our sidewalk a few years back. The price the city was going to charge was outrageous, so we hired people to do it,” Sherrie Haas Escamilla told San José Spotlight. “Much less expensive and the city signed off on it.”
Alum Rock resident Gilbert Garcia said he spent just under $1,500 hiring a city contractor to fix a sidewalk with tree roots growing underneath.
“I used their contractor because I didn’t want to deal with any permitting issues, and if their contractor killed the tree, then it’s the city and the contractor’s fault,” he told San José Spotlight.
Contact Vicente Vera at [email protected] or follow @VicenteJVera on X.
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