Unsafe Building Abatement

Substandard Structures 

A safe neighborhood means the buildings on your property (homes, garages, sheds, barns, etc.) are structurally sound and in good repair. Buildings that are abandoned often become targets of vandalism including graffiti. All property owners including absentee property owners must ensure that all the buildings on their property are kept up to building code standards.

A building is considered not to meet the minimum standards of the City for continued use and occupancy of a building, regardless of its date of construction, under any of the following conditions:

(I) Any building that is dilapidated, substandard, or unfit for human habitation and a hazard to public health, safety and welfare, including, but not limited to:

1. Any building with roof, ceiling, floors, walls, sills, windows, or foundation or any combination thereof rotted or decayed, and falling apart; or that is uninhabitable due to obsolescence and deterioration caused by neglect, vandalism, fire damage, old age, or the elements;
2. Any building intended for human occupancy that is in danger of collapse or cannot be expected to withstand reasonably anticipated storms or which may present a danger to persons or property;
3. Any building that is a fire hazard because it is in a dilapidated condition, as described in subsections (I)(A) and (8) above or that is likely to become a fire hazard or be set on fire;
4. Any building that is in unsanitary condition and is likely to create disease because of the presence of insects, rodents or vermin;
5. Any building that is damp and in unsanitary condition and is likely to create disease and sickness;
6. Any building that has holes, cracks or other defects in it, or does not have railings for stairs, steps, balconies, porches, and elsewhere, thereby constituting a danger to persons or property;
7. Any building occupied by humans that does not have in operating condition a connection to discharge sewage from the structure or land into a public sewer system (where such is available), a toilet connected to a water source and to a public sewer system (where such is available), and connection to potable water at adequate pressure;
8. Any building intended for human occupancy that does not have operating supply lines for electrical service, if electric service is available within three hundred feet of the building, or that does not have operating electrical circuits and outlets sufficient to safely carry a load imposed by normal use of appliances and fixtures.
9. Any building that is not occupied by its owners, lessees or other invitees and is not secure from unauthorized entry so that it could be entered or used by uninvited persons or children regardless of its structural condition.
10. Any building that is boarded up, fenced or secured if: The building constitutes a danger to the public even though secured from entry; or The means used to secure the building are inadequate to prevent unauthorized entry or use of the building;
11. Any building that fails to comply with provisions of adopted State codes, including, without limitation, the International Residential Code, the International Building Code and the National Electric Code.

You may be asked to repair deteriorating buildings, obtain a building permit for an unpermitted room addition or accessory building, or replace dangerous plumbing or electrical wiring. Please contact your local Code Enforcement officer for additional information.

Abatement Program

Abatement is any action the City may take on public or private property and any adjacent property as may be necessary to remove or alleviate a nuisance, including, but not limited to, demolition, removal, repair, boarding and securing or replacement of property. 

Dilapidated abandoned structures are a blight and a detriment to the community. Their presence decreases surrounding property values, provides shelter for rodents and often becomes a haven for criminal activity. The City has a vigorous, ongoing program for the abatement of substandard structures.