Residents of the Kiryat Shalom neighborhood in southeast Tel Aviv say they are locked in a long‑running battle not with each other or developers, but with ancient ficus trees whose roots are tearing up the ground beneath their homes, clogging sewage pipes and cracking walls.
The trees, planted in the 1950s, seek out water and, over decades, have grown roots that infiltrate underground plumbing and foundations, residents and experts say. The damage has affected private homes and apartment buildings, leaving residents struggling with persistent problems and mounting costs.
“We’ve suffered for years,” said Rafi Polatov, 52, who has lived in Kiryat Shalom for 20 years. A roughly 60‑year‑old ficus once stood in front of his building. “The roots get into the sewers, they clog them again and again. The whole house is full of cracks, mostly in the front. The municipality tells us ‘submit a receipt and we’ll reimburse you for the clog,’ but the problem never ends. The cracks return, the clogs return.”
About a decade ago, an attempt was made to block the roots under the floors, but that effort also failed, Polatov said. “I contacted the municipality many times and never received a real response,” he said.
Nearby resident David Borochov, 66, said he has spent years repairing damage from the roots. “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” he said. “Every year we renovate because of the roots. Twenty years ago I said — take down the trees and plant new ones. We’ve lived here 40 years and spent money that could have bought two apartments. After every renovation there’s another crack: the ground shifts, the walls break.”
His family’s yard sits just a few meters from the tree. “Either they remove the trees, or the houses — you can’t have both,” he said.
For Eti Bezalel, 34, the problems have become a daily safety issue. She lives with her husband, their seven children and her 80‑year‑old mother. “At the bathroom entrance there’s a raised slab. The kids are always cutting themselves. The slab is broken,” she said. In the bedroom near the bed, “the slabs are sticking up. A ficus outside cut our air‑conditioning pipes, water got into the wall and there are explosions.”
In the Borochov family yard, decking has been placed over a surface he says is riddled with roots. “Under the deck, it’s all roots. My mother is old, we always have to warn her not to fall. I have a two‑year‑old who’s already been injured several times.”
Residents said experts who examined the situation recommended deep excavation along the street to install a root barrier and properly cut the roots — a thorough and costly job that has yet to be done. “They did a shoddy job,” one resident who asked not to be named said. “The roots just keep hitting the houses.”
Attorneys David and Chaya Mena represent the residents in a lawsuit against the city. “We have filed 40 claims so far on behalf of 250 residents, and the damage keeps repeating because the municipality did not properly implement the recommendations of court‑appointed experts,” they said.
In a statement, Tel Aviv‑Yafo Municipality said ficus trees are legally protected and that the large, mature trees along the street contribute significantly to public space, shade and the urban environment. “The municipality is aware of the issue of root intrusion into yards,” the statement said. “We clarify that in every case where a specific request is received from residents, city teams come to conduct an inspection and, as necessary, address the findings.”