The Barrett Law - Cost Sharing Program for concrete repair is a great option for homeowners seeking to replace sidewalk, yard-walk, curbing, or their drive approach in the right of way. Under this program, the City and the petitioning homeowner(s) will each pay 50 percent of the cost of the concrete repairs. Any trees in the park strip that are impacting infrastructure will be removed at no cost to the homeowner. Petitions can be accepted year-round. Participant selection takes place in early spring and construction takes place in the summer months. The City will hire a contractor to take care of concrete removal and replacement, and restoration.

Financing Information

The Notice of Assessment for work completed will be mailed upon approval of the Assessment Roll by the Board of Works. The assessment is not added to the improvement properties City Utilities bill and will be billed separately by the City of Fort Wayne Barrett Law Department. Assessments under $500 must be paid in full within 30 days from the approval of the Assessment Roll and are not eligible for an installment loan. Property owners with an assessment over $500 may elect to pay the assessment in full within 30 days or to setup a monthly or annual installment loan with interest for a period based on the total assessment amount. To setup an installment loan, property owners must complete the Notice of Assessment/Waiver and return to the City of Fort Wayne Barrett Law Department within 30 days. For more questions about how the billing process works, please contact our Barrett Law Accountant.

If you are on the list for construction in 2025: Please be patient as the construction timeline is being planned. For common construction questions, please refer to the letter you received.

Billing Notice:

Assessments will be performed after construction is complete. The assessment will show as a lien against the property until the assessment is paid in full. Liens stay with the property. The assessment is to be paid in full at closing if the property transfers ownership.

The bill will be sent by mail after construction is complete. It will not exceed the amount stated on the Construction Agreement that was signed before construction began.

Please read the information below or visit our website to view the full details of the application and construction process.

Filling out a petition may be done via paper copy or online. Please visit our website to fill one out. It can be found on the sidebar on desktop or at the bottom of the page on a mobile device.

Important Information before filling out a petition

• All homeowner(s) of the property must sign the petition for an individual petition. For a block petition, 51% of affected homeowner(s) need to sign it.
• You may only fill out a petition for the property or properties that you own. If you have a complaint or concern about the sidewalk or curbing of another person's property or a neighborhood, please call 260-427-8311 to file a complaint.
• This program applies to replacing concrete that is in the right of way, not concrete on private property. Sidewalks, yard-walks, residential drive approaches, and curbing are eligible for replacement. See the diagram below for a visual reference.
• Trees that are planted in the park strip that are disturbing the concrete will be removed at no cost to the homeowner as part of this program. The trees are removed for the following reasons:
  • The roots may continue to lift or crack the newly poured concrete, creating trip hazards
  • Large roots may be cut during construction, which can make the tree unstable
  • The Parks Department does have a “Citizen Match Tree Planting Program”, should you wish to have a new tree planted after construction.
• This Barrett Law Cost Share program only applies to residential properties. For businesses wishing to replace concrete in the right of way, please contact the Right of Way office for more information about our Miscellaneous Package 50/50 Cost Sharing.
• Filling out a petition does not bind the homeowner to participating in the program nor does it guarantee that they are on the construction list. After receiving a petition, a City employee will visit the property and perform an estimate. Then a Construction Agreement will be mailed to you, outlining the amount of work to be done and the 50% cost estimate. Only by signing a Construction Agreement and returning it to the City before funds are allocated, will the property be slated for construction that year.