This from the Parking rock star, Donald Shoup
Broken sidewalks have become an important legal issue since 2002 when the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA applies to sidewalks. As one way to comply with the ADA, cities can require
property owners to repair any broken sidewalk fronting their property before they sell the property. Before any real estate is sold, the city
inspects the sidewalk fronting the property. If the sidewalk is in good condition, the city does not require the owner to do anything. If the
sidewalk is broken, however, the city requires the owner to repair it before selling the property. Analysis of sales data shows that if Los
Angeles had adopted a point-of-sale program in 1995, about half of the city’s 4,600 miles of broken sidewalks would have been repaired
by 2007. A walkable city needs walkable sidewalks. Requiring sidewalk repairs when property is sold can help put cities back on their
feet.