Sidewalks in Outpost Estates: Responsibility, Reporting, and Why We Don’t Have Them Everywhere
A picture of a sidewalk in Outpost Estates in front of the “Outpost Wall” located at Outpost Drive and Outpost Circle.
Walking safely in Outpost Estates means having safe, well-maintained sidewalks. But as many residents have noticed, some sidewalks are dirty or blocked from hillside runoff, others are cracked, uneven, or broken from age or from tree roots, and there are stretches of Outpost Drive and other streets in Outpost Estates where no sidewalks exist at all. Here’s what neighbors should know about who is responsible, how maintenance/enforcement works, and why some sections never got sidewalks in the first place.
Picture of a sidewalk on the East side of Outpost Drive where the hillside was falling onto the Sidewalk. Outpost Neighborhood Association submitted a myLA311 ticket, and worked with the Los Angeles City Council District 4 to coordinate with the property owner to clean up the fallen hillside so that the sidewalk can be used by neighbors/stakeholders.
⚖ Who Is Responsible for Maintaining Sidewalks
Adjacent property owners are generally responsible under both California State law and Los Angeles Municipal Code for keeping sidewalks that abut their property in safe, usable condition. State Streets and Highways Code § 5610 says:
“The owners of lots … fronting on any portion of a public street … shall maintain any sidewalk in such condition that the sidewalk will not endanger persons or property …”
City of Los Angeles plays a role, especially through its Bureau of Engineering’s Sidewalk Repair Program, which designs and administers sidewalk repairs, especially for major sidewalks or when triggered by public health or accessibility issues (e.g. ADA, or after receiving complaints).
There is a specific tree-root exception: if damage is caused by City street trees, different rules apply (e.g. sometimes the City or shared cost). See FAQs here.
🛠 How Maintenance & Enforcement Work
Notice to Repair: When a sidewalk is deemed hazardous, the City (the Department of Public Works) can issue a Notice of Non-Compliance and Order to Repair to the property owner. Under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 62.104, the owner must repair or face consequences.
Timeline & Standards: Notices usually include what needs to be fixed (uneven sections, cracks, tripping hazards, ADA violations), what materials, and deadlines (often 30-90 days to start repair, up to 60-120 days to complete, depending on the scale).
If the owner fails to do the repairs, the City can do them and then bill or lien the property.
The City keeps a program for “Sidewalk Repair” via MyLA311, where residents can report broken sidewalks or dangerous conditions. The Bureau of Engineering’s Sidewalk Division is the main department.
Example of a sidewalk in Outpost Estates that is raised and uneven.
Example of a sidewalk in Outpost Estates that is raised and uneven.
Example of a sidewalk in Outpost Estates that has debris/hillside that has consumed over half the sidewalk. And an example of broken curbs.
🚧 What to Do as a Neighbor If You Notice a Problem
Document the condition: take photos of cracks, gaps, dirt & debris from hillside runoff, or parts of sidewalk missing.
Report it via MyLA311: make a service request reporting sidewalk damage or obstruction (e.g. dirt/stones falling onto sidewalk) using MyLA311 either online, on the app, or by calling 311.
Follow up: note the 311 request number, contact the city department if needed. Let Outpost Neighborhood Association know so there’s collective awareness.
Temporary safety: if there’s a hazard (large broken slab, debris), contact LADOT or the City’s street services to mark or barricade it until it’s fixed.
❓ Why Don’t All Streets in Outpost Estates Have Sidewalks?
Many of the streets in Outpost Estates have sidewalks, but not all. Here is a map from LA City that shows where all the sidewalks are located in the City. There are several reasons that contribute to why all streets in Outpost Estates don’t have sidewalks:
Historical development / older hillside parcels: Outpost Estates was developed starting in the 1920s-30s. Some roads and parcels were built before modern sidewalk requirements, especially in steep or narrow hillside areas, making sidewalks impractical or expensive.
Topography & width constraints: On steep slopes or narrow right-of-way, installing or maintaining sidewalks is much more challenging (grading, retaining, and drain control are costly).
Infrastructure cost and funding: City priorities, budgets, and cost-sharing (owner vs city) affect what gets fixed. The Sidewalk Repair Program is large in scope but limited in funding, so many repairs and new sidewalks are done gradually, often driven by resident requests or major hazard claims.
Property owner obligations & incentives: Some property owners may not have been required at the time of construction to build sidewalks, or might delay repairs until officially cited.
✅ What Neighbors & Outpost Neighborhood Association Can Do
Encourage the City (Council District 4) to do sidewalk assessments in areas lacking sidewalks, especially along Outpost Drive where pedestrian safety is important.
Outpost Neighborhood Association requested LA City Council District 4 to do a feasibility study on adding sidewalks or even a bike lane on Outpost Drive from Mulholland Drive down to La Presa Drive in 2024.
While it is feasible, it would require eliminating parking on the East side of Outpost Drive, and the costs of installing is prohibitive given the City budget shortfall.
Additionally, Mobility projects of this nature are planned and executed by the LADOT Active Transportation Division. To make best use of their limited bandwidth and funding, projects in areas with proven collision patterns are given priority. While it could potentially be a benefit to have a bike lane on Outpost Drive, it is not currently a part of the Mobility Plan 2035 as an identified Mobility Corridor - as either a Bicycle Enhanced Network (BEN), Bike Lane Network (BLN), or Neighborhood Enhanced Network (NEN) - and it does not address known collision patterns and therefore cannot be prioritized at present.
Use MyLA311 to report sidewalk issues in bulk (share photos, report multiple locations).
Work with our neighborhood association (ONA) to advocate for funding or matching funds to build or repair sidewalks.
If planning a project/home modification, check whether sidewalk compliance (curb, driveway approach, slope) is required—and budget for curb and sidewalk repairs.
