SAN ANTONIO – Sidewalks with damage are a common problem throughout San Antonio. Many residents call the city to ask if their sidewalks can be fixed but only some are lucky enough to see any changes.
Most homeowners in the 400 block of Elmwood Drive have lived there for over 40 years. They say their sidewalks have only gotten worse.
“Every year we fight the city and they always tell us the same thing, maybe next year,” Neighbor Rose Munoz said.
Sidewalks in this North Side neighborhood are slanted and have steps that are nearly eight inches high.
“Even with the flashlight I’ve tripped, right there, and knowing that it’s there, I’ve tripped,” said Neighbor Judy Panatex.
“I’ve seen people on wheelchairs that go onto the street,” Neighbor Andres Lira said. “And then they go all the way down the street because it’s not flat here. You can’t walk on it.”
The City of San Antonio Public Works told KSAT that they have received over 600 requests for sidewalk related issues since Jan. 1, 2024.
“For this Elmwood call, Public Works staff visited the site, assessed the situation, confirmed that repair would be the property owner’s responsibility per City code, but also added the location to the list for future Public Works project consideration,” a spokesperson for Public Works told KSAT.
New sidewalks and sidewalk repair are an annual budget item, according to Public Works.
“The Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes $17 million for 21 new miles and 11 repaired miles of sidewalk,” the spokesperson said. “The City has 5,662 miles of existing sidewalks.”
However, sidewalk repair is the responsibility of adjacent property owners, according to city code. If a homeowner chooses to repair their own sidewalks, they can receive assistance through the city’s Sidewalk Rebate Program.
“I lived here for 52 years and this has gotten worse,” Lira said. “I’ve tried time and time again to try and get it fixed… They say they don’t have the money.”
In 2024, Public Works repaired the west side of Elmwood Drive near Blanco Road, but residents closer to San Pedro have asked for similar improvements.
Dist. 1 Councilwoman Dr. Sukh Kaur says there are over 200 requests for sidewalk repairs in her district.
“The number one most important thing in our community right now is how do we fix our sidewalks,” Kaur said. “So sidewalks are the responsibility of property owners and when you have a hundred year old neighborhood in which the developers did not build sidewalks, how is a resident supposed to be able to pay for that?”
She says she is pushing for the city to find equitable ways to distribute funding across San Antonio to help with this issue. Residents can start by calling the city at 311 to file a complaint.
“If you can get your entire street to go in and fill out a 311 request, we can continue to advocate for it during the annual process,” Kaur said.
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