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Residents press council on aging retaining walls and requests for funding to repair citywide hazards
Summary
A resident raised a long-running retaining-wall problem; council members acknowledged the city faces thousands of aging retaining walls and said funding conversations are underway, with example repair costs in the millions for some projects.
A resident asked council to clarify why he was being told he owned a foundation/retaining wall and sought help resolving immediate safety concerns. Council staff offered to inspect the property and the Council President described a broader, citywide program to address thousands of failing retaining walls.
The resident described a foundation wall he said is holding up 20 feet and said he had been told he owned it; he asked how that could be. Council staff offered an on-site inspection and directed the resident to coordinate with a district staffer (Kenny Thompson). Council members acknowledged the issue affects many neighborhoods and said the city has set aside funding for retaining walls in prior actions and is discussing larger funding strategies.
Council members and staff discussed the high cost of repairing some walls — the president cited an example figure of roughly $1.7 million for a particularly large wall — and said the city is trying to allocate funds across many sites. Council members said some retaining-wall repairs had been funded previously and that additional funding (a portion tied to a $50 million allocation referenced in discussion) is part of ongoing budget conversations.
No formal action was taken at the town hall, but council staff asked the resident to provide his address so a site visit could be scheduled and asked the resident to follow up with the district office for an inspection and for next steps.
