Although sidewalks are public property owned by the City of New York, Administrative Code § 7-210 shifted the maintenance and liability burden to the adjacent property owner in 2003, with a narrow exception for certain owner-occupied 1-, 2-, or 3-family homes. This split — public ownership, private maintenance duty — is the foundation for nearly everything else in this glossary, from violations and permits to liability claims. Understanding that distinction helps explain why an owner can be sued over damage to land the city technically owns.
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