CINCINNATI — A Westwood resident facing expensive sidewalk repairs has received help from city officials after a WCPO 9 News report highlighted his situation.
Edward Stephens was shocked when the city offered to remove the problematic tree and cover the repair costs, which would have cost him $2,700.
"Shock. Just shock," Stephens said. "I didn't think it'd go this fast like that, you know, everything being more or less done, all the problem areas solved. I was just shocked."
Stephens had been struggling with recurring sidewalk damage caused by tree roots. Despite fixing the sidewalk twice already, the problem persisted, and he received a notice from the city telling him to either pay thousands to the city or fix it himself.
For months, Stephens had difficulty getting assistance from city officials.
"They'd switch me from department to department, it didn't do any good," Stephens said.
After our story aired last week, council member Seth Walsh's office contacted Stephens with a solution.
WATCH: How Cincinnati officials were able to help Stephens get repairs
"(The city) is going to pay for the tree. Keep America Clean is going to take the brick from me, and they'll do that by the 16th of this month,” Stephens said. “And then somebody that the council member knows is going to come out and pour the concrete free of charge, so I'm not paying for anything now, thank God."
The timing is particularly fortunate for Stephens, who has heart surgery scheduled for later this month.
"You guys, Channel 9, you reached out and helped me and got things done. That's the only way to do it. Can't do it myself. You can't fight the city," Stephens said.
This case serves as an important reminder for Cincinnati homeowners that they are responsible for maintaining the sidewalk in front of their homes.
To avoid costly repairs, homeowners should get multiple quotes from local sidewalk contractors. Resources like Thumbtack, Angi, or the Better Business Bureau can help compare estimates.
And if residents encounter similar issues? Stephens has some advice:
"Call Channel 9! That's all I can tell ya! See what happened to me! I appreciate everything that Channel 9 did for me and thank you very much," Stephens said.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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