Even though the city put the sidewalks in in the first place, now homeowners are responsible for them, at least round these parts. A friend of mine bought a wrecked shack of a house for a song and rebuilt it into a rather nice little house, with a great view of the marina and everyting. Anyhow, the sidewalk was pulverized there, and he was compelled to have a new one installed at his expense by city inspectors. Granted, this is an especially shitty city, but what city these days isn't?