Section 7-201 sets the ground rules for civil actions against the City of New York, and its subdivision (c) is often called the Pothole Law. In sidewalk cases it matters mainly where the City is still the responsible party, such as sidewalks next to exempt owner-occupied small homes or City-owned property. In those situations, an injured person generally must show the City had written notice of the specific defect and failed to fix it within the statutory period. For most commercial and multi-family owners, § 7-210 puts liability on the owner instead, so this section rarely shields them.
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