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AccessibilitySidewalk Repair
Trees and Sidewalks
When sidewalk damage is caused by City tree roots, NYC Parks assists property owners with two options to repair their sidewalks and protect our trees against potential damage during the repair process.
Repair a Sidewalk Yourself
If you are interested in repairing your sidewalk around a City tree, you should first find a licensed contractor who can make the repair. Once you have done so, submit a Tree Work Permit application. If requested, a Parks forester will offer site-specific repair solutions to avoid unnecessary and unlawful root cutting while reconstructing a sidewalk to reduce future damage from tree roots.
If you wish to file a claim against the City of New York relative to repairs you performed to your sidewalk as a result of damage that you believe was caused by a City tree, you may do so by filing a claim with the New York City Comptroller’s Office within 90 days of performing the repair. Please reach out to the City Comptroller's office for any additional questions about your claim.
To file a claim, you can obtain a Notice of Claim form through the Comptroller's website.
Repair a Sidewalk Through the Trees & Sidewalks Program
The NYC Parks Trees & Sidewalks Program can help repair sidewalk damage caused by root growth. Funding for this program is limited, and we are only able to address severe cases of sidewalk damage in front of Tax Class 1 properties. If your sidewalk is inspected and rated below our threshold for repair, you may request a new inspection in three years or repair the sidewalk on your own as described above.
Who is Eligible
Property owners of one-, two-, and three-family homes (legally designated as NYC Tax Class 1) not used for commercial purposes are eligible to request a sidewalk repair through the Trees & Sidewalks Program.
What We Repair
Sites are prioritized for repair based on the severity of damage and availability of funding. We will send an inspector to evaluate the site and assign a sidewalk rating.
Not all inspections result in the repair of a sidewalk. The lower your sidewalk rating is on a scale of 1 to 100, with 1 being lowest and 100 being highest, the less likely we will be able to repair the sidewalk through this program. After three years, you may request a new inspection to evaluate if the damage has worsened, or you may choose to repair the sidewalk on your own at any time by hiring an independent contractor and requesting a permit.
Our Repair Timeline
Repairs are made according to the sidewalk rating. We repair the sidewalks with the highest ratings first. Homeowners who receive a lower rating or who have time-sensitive needs for sidewalk repair can fix their sidewalks themselves by engaging an independent contractor and obtaining a free permit from Parks to work around the roots. After the repair you may file a claim with the Comptroller’s office within 90 days of repair for the damage you believe was caused by a City Tree.
If you have already requested your site to be inspected by the Trees & Sidewalks program, you can use the Sidewalk Inspection and Repair map below to review your rating, eligibility for the program, and estimated repair date, if any.
Learn more and request enrollment in the Trees & Sidewalks program.
Trees & Sidewalks Rating Chart:
Please refer to the Trees & Sidewalks rating chart below for more information on where your site falls.
| Sidewalk Rating | <80 | 80-90 | 90-100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Likelihood of Repair under the Trees & Sidewalk Program | Site does not rate highly enough to be repaired by NYC Parks at this time. |
Site has been waitlisted: This site meets the criteria for repair. However due to a high number of requests we are only able to repair the very highest rated sites at this time. We will continue to evaluate based on capacity and funding if your site can be added to our next contract. |
Site expected to be repaired within three years. |
| Recommended Action |
Engage an Independent contractor. Complete a Tree Work Permit Application. File claim for damages with NYC Comptroller. OR Request new Trees & Sidewalks inspection three years after initial inspection. This could result in a higher rating. |
Check Tree Work Hub (nyc.gov/parks/treework) for status. OR Engage an independent contractor. Complete a Tree Work Permit Application. File claim for damages with NYC Comptroller. OR Request new Trees & Sidewalks inspection three years after initial inspection. This could result in a higher rating. |
Check Tree Work Hub (nyc.gov/parks/treework) for approx. date of repair. OR Engage an independent contractor. Complete a Tree Work Permit Application. File claim for damages with NYC Comptroller. |
Recent and Upcoming Sidewalk Inspection and Repair Work
To better inform you about our planned tree work, we are reporting on sidewalks that have been inspected and repaired over the past six months, as well as all sidewalk repairs that are currently scheduled.
Explore the Inspection and Repair Map
Use the map or address search below to find trees that have recently been repaired or that are scheduled for repair. Not all trees in New York City are represented in this map below. If a tree is not displayed on this map, it is not currently scheduled to be repaired.
Completed Repair
Repair Not Complete
Glossary of Terms
Initial Request Date
Date of initial service request for Trees & Sidewalk inspection by the homeowner.
Inspection Date
Date of completed inspection within the previous six months.
Sidewalk Rating
A severity ranking determined by a Forestry Inspector that qualifies and quantifies the damage to the sidewalk according to a number of criteria. These criteria include vertical lift, number of damaged flagstones, the volume of pedestrian usage, passable sidewalk width, and the condition of the tree. Ratings are evaluated on a scale from 1 to 100, 100 being the most severe.
Number of Reports
Number of public notifications (Service Requests and complaints) to NYC Parks regarding the inspection/repair site.
Repair Date
Date of completed repair made within previous six months, or the estimated date by which point the repair will be completed. Repairs are made frequently across the city, so sidewalks may often be repaired before the listed estimated date. If the repair date is in the distant future or not applicable (N/A), you may prefer to repair the sidewalk yourself.
Statuses
A Parks Forester inspects each site. There are several potential inspection results.
- Inspected – Repair Pending
- The site has been inspected. Sidewalk repair has been approved but not yet completed.
- Inspected – Repair Contract Not Assigned
- The site has been inspected and found eligible for repair through the Trees & Sidewalks program. Due to our level of funding and that most severely damaged sites will be addressed first, sidewalk repair has not yet been approved. After three years, you may request a new inspection. You may also repair the sidewalk yourself.
- Ineligible
- After inspection, the site has been determined not eligible for repair through the Trees & Sidewalks program. You may still repair the sidewalk yourself.
- Repair Completed
- The sidewalk has been repaired.
| Closest Address | Borough/ Community Board/ Council District |
Zip Code | Initial Request Date | Inspection Date* | Sidewalk Rating | Number of Reports | Repair Date* | Status |
|---|
*All recent completion dates are estimated. Scheduled completion dates are estimated through the current fiscal year.
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