Oakland Provides Additional Information on Sidewalk Point-of-Sale Ordinance

August 7, 2019

As we reported last month, the Oakland City Council voted on July 9, 2019 to adopt a new point-of-sale ordinance that requires either the buyer or seller to hire a licensed contractor to inspect the sidewalk in front of their property and make any necessary repairs to bring it up to compliance before the transfer of title.

If you had questions about the effective date of the ordinance and whether it affects transactions currently in progress, you were not alone! In response to many concerns received from property owners and realtors, the city has released an FAQ document and a provisional certificate process to provide temporary relief from the requirement that is valid for 90 days from July 9th.