CINCINNATI — Residents in seven Cincinnati neighborhoods will be eligible for city-funded sidewalk repairs beginning next week.
Cincinnati City Council approved $100,000 in its fiscal year 2026 budget, which begins July 1, for a residential sidewalk repair pilot program.
The goal is to ease the burden on homeowners who may not be able to cover costly repairs, said council member Anna Albi.
Repair costs can range from $500 to approximately $2,500, according to a November 2024 report put together by the city’s Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE).
“Roads we know are a public asset, the city’s in charge of it. But for sidewalks, the city builds them, everyone needs them, and yet we put the burden on the homeowners,” Albi said. “We know there are residents who can’t take on these cost burdens, and we want to make sure that they’re not penalized.”
The pilot program is being hosted in neighborhoods that are relatively close together (to maximize efficiency) and have a median income of $50,000 or less:
- East Westwood
- Villages at Roll Hill
- South Cumminsville
- Millvale
- English Woods
- North Fairmount
- South Fairmount
Beginning July 1, residents in those neighborhoods can call 311 and report a needed sidewalk repair. The city will then come out and do an assessment.
It’s unclear exactly how far $100,000 in the pilot program will go.
“If repairs are on the $500 end, that’s a lot more people than if they’re $2,500,” Albi said.
She said the pilot is about identifying the demand, the overall cost and awareness of the program.
“Success is one, can we just fix some people’s sidewalks, right?” Albi said.
Albi said the issue came full circle for her. Sidewalk repairs were the first issue that got her to show up to the Madisonville Community Council.
"In the city, we talk so much about dense, walkable neighborhoods,” said Albi. “Having a sidewalk you can walk on or wheel on or get across is an important part.”
