Chicago's Popular Shared Cost Sidewalk Program Begins Monday

CHICAGO — Homeowners living in the city’s 19th Ward who are in need of sidewalk repairs in front of their residence now have an opportunity to make fixes without footing the entire bill themselves.

The Chicago Department of Transportation’s 2022 Shared Cost Sidewalk program kicks off Monday and will begin accepting applications beginning at 6 a.m., Ald. Matt O’Shea’s office announced.

The Shared Costs Sidewalk program is a voluntary initiative in which property owners share the cost of sidewalk repairs with the city. Thousands of city residents have participated in the program which, in the past, has closed within 10 hours of opening due to the popularity of the program.

Through the program, local homeowners are charged per square foot through the initiative which is significantly lower than a private contractor will charge, O’Shea’s office said. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities may qualify for a further discounted rate.

Applications will only be accepted through the Chicago’s 311 system by calling 311 or through the city's service request website 311.chicago.gov. Residents are required to use one of these two methods to apply and applications will not be processed by the 19th Ward Office, O’Shea said.

The property owner's contact information and the property address are required at the time of the request, the alderman said. Applications will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. The number of participants is based on the availability of funds.

The program typically reaches capacity quickly, so residents are encouraged to apply early. If homeowners applied for the program in previous years, they must apply again to be considered for the 2022 program.