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Transportation & Environment
Termination by the City of 311 taking complaints on defective sidewalks
WHEREAS, The City Council passed legislation in 2003 shifting liability for personal or property injury for broken sidewalks in front of building with four or more units from the City of New York to the building owners; and
WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the following building owners to maintain the sidewalks in front of their properties:
WHEREAS, Despite the change in the liability law it is still a violation of city law to have a broken sidewalk and not fix it; and
WHEREAS, Many people are not aware of the building owners and want the ability to call a central place to report sidewalk issues; and
WHEREAS, The 311 system was setup to handle these types of complaints from city residents; and
WHEREAS, 311 is refusing to take these calls and is referring people to the Department of Finance to find building owners in order to get sidewalk issues addressed; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five believes it is the responsibility of the City to take complaints on and enforce sidewalk safety for its residents by expeditiously enforcing all existing laws regarding the safe physical conditions of all sidewalks; and be it further
RESOLVED, That city residents should be able to lodge these complaints through the 311 system.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 29 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention.