Sidewalks, and the little strip of land between them and the street (where the land exists) are something of a no-man’s land. Homeowners don’t actually own the sidewalk, or the sidewalk strip, but in many municipalities they are required to take care of both. In San Jose, that is the case.
In Los Gatos, however, historically the town has maintained the sidewalks, curbs, and gutters as well as the streets adjacent to them. The town’s website has information on streets, sidewalks etc., and also information on how to submit a request for repair:
http://www.losgatosca.gov/103/Streets-Trees
The San Jose Mercury News had a piece in the Action Line column about street trees and sidewalks which asserted that it’s California state law that makes the sidewalks the property owner’s responsibility. So Los Gatans – we are fortunate to be in a community where the town will take care of this. Just another reason to love living in Los Gatos!
