There’s something to be said about trying to improve your community. When Andrea Balcavage complained to city hall that the sidewalks on her street were unusable, she unfortunately learned that the thing to be said was “damn!” – especially when city hall stuck her with a bill for $1,200 when she tried to make a positive difference in her neighbourhood:
After complaining to the city of an uneven sidewalk in front of her home she was later notified of other repairs she was responsible for; her total bill? About $1,200.
“It’s not fair. They’re extorting residents. It’s their trees, how is that my fault?” said Andrea.
Despite her outrage, the city code’s been around for at least 30 years and it’s based on state law.
Now, how many of us think that just because a code has been on the books a long time, that it’s fair? Perhaps a few. We know the city certainly does.
Here’s what it says: The homeowner is responsible for sidewalk maintenance with a few exceptions, including damage caused by cuts into the sidewalk to install utilities, city workers or people other than the property owner…
The city responded in writing saying: “Sacramento is like many other cities in the state that have similar codes based on the state statute.”
And this makes it alright? How about we re-institute other codes, covenants, and restrictions simply on the basis that they’ve been around for a long time? Oh wait, that’s not fair. But hey, such legalities have been on the books since the 1920s, so following Sacramento’s city hall’s logic, I guess we should demand that all non-white homeowners in Sacramento leave their neighbourhoods too.
Fortunately, it seems Andrea Balcavage has the support of her neighbours:
Neighbors agree with Balcavage saying the responsibility should fall on the city. They were even more outraged to find out the city has the authority to take out a lien on your property if you ignore the required maintenance.
Andrea, remember this when the powers-that-be come back to you to ask for your vote to build a shiny new arena – on your tip - after they just billed you to make repairs to your sidewalk. And don’t think they won’t go to your neighbours and stick them with similar bills too.
In the meantime, we at the Sac Rag wish you the best of luck fighting city hall in your court challenge.
“It concerns me I’m not the only person going through this. I’m surprised I’m the only person who had a problem with it,” said Andrea.
People like Andrea are what Right Awn! Friday is all about – not just those who complain about a problem (that’s our job) but who are also brave enough to take on the big guys to eliminate it.Â
 Andrea Balcavage, we salute you: RIGHT AWN!
The Sac Rag 
What a bunch of crap from the city. And I HATE it when they tell you “You’re the only one that’s ever had this problem.” I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I’ve heard that one.
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in the words of batman or something, “with great property comes great responsibility”
The property owner is responsible for maintaining the sidewalks on their property. Waaah.
I’m consistent in my belief that government should be as small as possible. That means that governments should not be involved in building arenas and also that they should not be responsible for sidewalks on private property.
Am I the only one who read “Andrea Cleavage” or am I dislexic.
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My friend, sidewalks are not private property in the sense that a homeowner has any right of exclusivity pertaining to his or her adjacent sidewalk. So while I too favor small government, it seems obvious to me that sidewalk maintainance, like road maintainance, should fall on the municipality. It is completely unfair for Ms. Balcavage or any family to have to pay for damage to a public sidewalk that they have not caused. I can’t imagine what the $1200 bill does to your budget. Horrendous. I don’t spell check by the way.
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is it a moxy oron if you misspell dislexic or grammer?
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Anyone up for a class action suit that lives in the city? loira74@yahoo.com
-Andrea
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