How Pomona Handles Property Maintenance: A Practical Guide

Pomona maintains 146 local ordinances across all categories, and 3 of those deal specifically with property maintenance. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Pomona falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing

Pomona is in the Inland Valley of Southern California and does not receive snow. No snow removal ordinance exists. Sidewalk maintenance is required for general cleanliness and safety.

Key details: Snow: Not applicable - no snowfall. Climate: Southern CA Inland Valley. Sidewalks: General maintenance required. Topic: Snow Sidewalk Clearing.

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Pomona treats an unsecured vacant lot as a public nuisance under City Code Sec. 18-222(4), requiring owners to seal off openings into any vacant or abandoned building and to fence the lot to keep out trespassers. Sec. 18-222(22) separately bars parking or storing vehicles, boats, trailers, RVs, or construction equipment on vacant private property unless another code provision allows it.

Key details: Vacant lot duty: Secure openings and fence, Sec. 18-222(4). Vehicle/equipment storage: Barred unless permitted, Sec. 18-222(22). Appeal window: 10 calendar days, no fee. Enforcement: Written notice, set compliance deadline. Penalty: Misdemeanor plus possible recorded declaration.

Leaving a vacant lot unsecured or covered in stored vehicles past the notice deadline is a misdemeanor under Sec. 18-221(d), capped by Sec. 1-7's general penalty at the Penal Code Sec. 19 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, with each continuing day a separate offense. The city can also record a Declaration of Substandard Property against the parcel and recover any city-performed abatement cost as a lien or special assessment.

Property Blight

Pomona code enforcement treats inoperative vehicles and other blighted conditions as public nuisances under City Code Sec. 18-222(16), using authority the state grants cities in Vehicle Code Sec. 22660 to adopt local abatement ordinances. Owners get a written notice of abatement, a compliance deadline, and a ten-day window to appeal before the city removes the nuisance and bills the cost as a lien.

Key details: State authority: Vehicle Code Sec. 22660. Local nuisance section: City Code Sec. 18-222(16). Appeal window: 10 calendar days, no fee. Penalty: Misdemeanor, Penal Code Sec. 19 cap. Cost recovery: Lien or special assessment.

Maintaining a public nuisance is a misdemeanor under Sec. 18-221(d). Sec. 1-7's general penalty caps a misdemeanor conviction at the fine allowed under Penal Code Sec. 19, up to six months in jail, or both, and each day a continuing violation persists is a separate offense. Unpaid abatement costs become a lien or special assessment collected with the property tax bill, and the city can still pursue civil injunctive relief regardless of any criminal fine.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Pomona actively enforces its property blight requirements.

The Bottom Line

Pomona's property maintenance rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Pomona is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Pomona can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.