Legal Definitions - local improvement

Definition: A real-property improvement, such as a sewer or sidewalk, financed by special assessment, and specially benefiting adjacent property.

Examples:

• Building a new sidewalk in front of a row of houses and charging the homeowners for the cost of the construction.
• Installing a new sewer system in a neighborhood and assessing the property owners for a portion of the cost based on the amount of benefit their property receives.

These examples illustrate how a local improvement is a specific type of improvement that is funded by a special assessment on the property owners who will benefit from the improvement. The improvement is typically something that is shared by the adjacent properties, such as a sidewalk or sewer system, and the cost is divided among the property owners based on the amount of benefit their property receives.