Repairs Begin on Buckled Sidewalk in South LA

Crews began repair work outside a South Los Angeles home on Tuesday where buckled concrete has been uprooted by large trees and forced a difficult path to one homeowner's residence.

The work is in front of the home of Geneva James, 81, who moves around with the aid of a walker and said the damaged sidewalk makes it difficult for her to go outside.

"They said they'd give me a permit and I can do it myself," James said. "I said, 'No way, no way.'"

James said she's lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years and has watched the sidewalk become increasingly more dangerous.

"I did see children fall, and parents fall, too," James said, adding that she's been trying to get the city to fix the sidewalk for 15 years.

The repairs finally began Tuesday thanks to a collaboration between City Councilman Bernard Parks and the nonprofit Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI). The privately funded sidewalk repair project at 1762 W. 48th St. is the 100th in Parks' district as a result of the partnership.

By using a private contractor instead of city crews, Parks said he's able to repair more sidewalks in his district for less money.

Last year, the city budgeted $10 million for sidewalk repairs, but ultimately just $3.7 million were allocated for 21 repair projects. Parks noted that the city this year budgeted $27 million for sidewalk repairs but has yet to allocate money toward any projects.

The 100 projects completed with the help of LANI cost $748,120 and were performed more quickly and cheaply than projects done by city crews, the councilman said.

Parks said he hopes to get some 400 sidewalks repaired before he leaves office in June 2015.

The city is engaged in a number of legal disputes over disability access on public rights-of-way. Officials said those disputes will affect how the city approaches sidewalk repairs in front of privately owned homes and buildings.

The $27 million budgeted for sidewalk repairs this year had been recommended for projects next to city-owned-and-controlled properties, which are not affected by the litigation.

Officials identified at least 235 possible locations that need repairs, but city leaders this month held off on green-lighting the $27 million repair plan for these sites in favor of waiting for the outcome of the litigation.