In 2020, the Carmel City Council established a Sidewalk Repair Grant program to help keep residential sidewalks across the city in good shape and safe for anyone using them.
This program was initially funded by a $50,000, non-reverting fund, and there are still funds available for property owners to apply for assistance with sidewalk repairs.
The Sidewalk Grant program is administered by the Department of Community Services in a partnership with the Carmel Street Department and Carmel City Engineer who administer the city’s annual sidewalk maintenance program. The grant fund’s primary purpose is to help facilitate the upkeep and repair of sidewalks in residential neighborhoods, by assisting homeowners with their responsibility of maintaining the public sidewalks adjacent to their property.
“The City Council and I have prioritized transportation investments, including development of our active transportation network, to improve our city and benefit residents and businesses,” Mayor Jim Brainard said. “This grant program is another way for us to partner with Carmel homeowners to assist with keeping our residential infrastructure in top shape. We work hard to support many different forms of transportation, including bicycling, walking, running or simply pushing a stroller. It is important to maintain our sidewalks so they are safe for all. Good sidewalk repair is particularly important for the physically challenged and blind members of our community.”
Some of Carmel’s older neighborhood areas are beginning to show signs of aging, including the deterioration of concrete sidewalks, some of which are 30 or 40 years old.
Carmel’s City Code specifies that homeowners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks and driveway portions in the public right-of-way, including repair of cracking or settling that makes them difficult and in some places unsafe to use. The city has taken on the responsibility of managing multi-purpose paths and sidewalks along arterial streets, and the city also repairs sidewalks that have been damaged by a city-owned asset such as city-planted street trees, water lines or manholes.
However, when it is simply age-related deterioration, normal wear-and-tear, or damage from private contractor activity, that sidewalk maintenance is the homeowners’ responsibility to make repairs that meet city standards.
The Sidewalk Repair Grant fund assists residents who own and occupy their homes with the expense of repair/replacement of sidewalks and for removal of trees located on their private property that are affecting sidewalks by reimbursing up to 50 percent of the project cost, up to $3,000. The cost of sidewalk grinding, where heaving or slumping of sidewalks can be eliminated through mechanical grinding, is also a cost that can be reimbursed through the grant.
The city has established a website with an online application for the Sidewalk Repair Grant, which includes an explanation for how to apply and the overall grant process. Property owners may also choose to contact David Littlejohn (dlittlejohn@carmel.in.gov) who is the point person to administer the applications and process.
Key requirements
Property owners must own and occupy their homes and if they seek a grant, they must solicit three competitive quotes for the project, and those quotes must be included with the grant application package.
Applicants should not start work on their project before they have their reimbursement approved by the Department of Community Services.
Applications will be evaluated on a first-come first-serve basis. Applications will be reviewed and inspections will be done as part of the approval process.