NYC homeowner clearing snow from sidewalk after winter storm

NYC Winter Snow: You Are Legally Responsible for Your Sidewalk — Here’s What That Means

Winter 2026 in New York City has brough unprecedented snow and ice storms. As New Yorkers emerge from another blizzard, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and city officials have made one thing clear: property owners — including homeowners — are responsible for clearing snow and ice from the sidewalks adjacent to their property.

This isn’t just a suggestion — it’s rooted in longstanding New York City law and reinforced during emergency weather responses.

What NYC Law Requires When A Major Snow Event Hits:

  • Homeowners, landlords, and businesses must clear adjacent sidewalks so pedestrians can safely pass.
  • The cleared path should be wide enough (generally a 4-foot path) and include wheelchair ramps or bus stops near your property.
  • If you fail to shovel, you are subject to fines and citations from the city — and, in a slip-and-fall context, civil liability.

In legal terms, property owners owe “reasonable care under the circumstances” to pedestrians using the sidewalk in front of their property.

That means:

  • Clearing snow soon after it stops to prevent unsafe conditions
  • Applying salt or sand when temperatures could turn snow to ice
  • Monitoring for refreeze conditions that create hazardous black ice
  • Not shoveling snow into the street or onto someone else’s property

What is “reasonable” depends on:

  • Volume of snowfall
  • Time of day when the storm stopped
  • Pedestrian traffic and visibility
  • Whether refreeze conditions are likely

Failing to exercise reasonable care can significantly increase your liability if someone slips and suffers injury.

If you or a loved one slipped on snow or ice in front of someone else’s property:

  1. Document the condition with photos and timestamps
  2. Get weather records showing when snow stopped falling
  3. Preserve evidence of hazardous ice or uncleared snow
  4. Speak with an experienced NY premises liability attorney quickly

Even with a snow emergency in effect, property owners cannot hide behind the weather if they failed to take reasonable care or violated local cleanup rules.

Winter weather doesn’t eliminate responsibility — it heightens it.

The attorneys at Grandelli & Eskenasi have advocated for the rights of victims of slip and fall accidents in New York City. Our firm’s recoveries for our clients are amongst the highest in New York State. If you or a loved one has slipped and fallen on snow or ice on a sidewalk, parking lot or private property, contact our office for a free consultation.