Residents in one Bayside condominium are struggling to find funds after the City charged them with repairing sidewalks in their area. Our Colleen Hagerty has the story.
Rosalind Russo lives in the Briarwood At Alley Pond condominiums. For more than 30 years, she had no major issues here. Then, a letter from the City's Department of Transportation appeared in her mailbox.
"The letter mentioned that we have to repair certain parts of the sidewalk. And they said that if we didn't do it, they would come in and charge us $60,000." said Russo.
Russo believes the notice came to her since she served as the president of the condominium association at the time it was sent. It included a Preliminary Inspection of the sidewalks around the condominium, with areas marked off for repair. Russo sent the paperwork to contractors for estimates, and received quotes at a fraction of the City's price.
Russo is currently working to collect funds from residents to hire the more affordable contractors, but she fears the city could come make the repairs at any time and force the condo tenants to pay.
"It's their responsibility, I would venture to say. It's their City sidewalk, they should repair it. I just don't think it's fair," said Russo.
The DOT tells NY1 in part that the department inspected the sidewalk after a 311 complaint. A spokesperson says it is the property owner’s responsibility to maintain and repair sidewalks adjacent to their property and that failing to do so will result in a violation.