My friend has dismissed their threats of taking legal action in the past on things like no salt on sidewalks while it is still snowing....but what if?

The children often would make it a game of purposely destroying the beautiful streetlamps and the sidewalks and the yards.

Another option would be to do a matching planting on the left side of the walkway, and just put sod in front of it to the sidewalk.  

I also saw she had painted the sidewalk, and tile, and basically made a total mess.

or from a tenant slipping on a icy sidewalk on your property?

The one Sheriff at the door literally grabbed him by his shirt and placed in on the sidewalk outside the front door and he stepped inside. 30 seconds later, saw four adults leave the house - nothing was packed - after 5 months of hell from these people.

This year has been especially bad, they asked me to replace the sidewalks, which I actually did not know the owner was responsible for.

However your longest time frame you have imagined to get it ready to move into, multiply that by 3.And you'll have driveways and sidewalks and landscaping to put in, which is enormously expensive, too.And in the meantime, you're paying rent somewhere else.  

The apartment building I rented out as the resident manager, had the manager's apt on the first floor corner of 2 busy streets and the building was right up against the sidewalk. 

You cannot block doorways, egress, etc.The bigger and brighter the sign, and easier to read from the sidewalk, the better.