Sunnyvale addresses pest control through property maintenance standards in SMC Chapter 9.44 and County vector control. Rodent and insect harborage is a nuisance that must be abated by the owner.
Under SMC Chapter 9.44 (Property Maintenance) and the nuisance provisions in SMC Title 9, property owners must keep premises free of conditions that harbor rats, mice, mosquitoes, or other vectors. Accumulations of trash, standing water, overgrown vegetation, and unsecured food sources are treated as public nuisances subject to Code Enforcement action. Licensed structural pest-control operators must comply with California Structural Pest Control Act rules administered by the state Structural Pest Control Board; tent fumigations require notification. Mosquito abatement and vector surveillance are handled countywide by the Santa Clara County Vector Control District, which responds to breeding complaints. Tenants experiencing recurring infestations may report habitability issues under state law, and landlords are responsible for extermination when conditions make a unit uninhabitable.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how other cities in Santa Clara County handle pest control.
See how Sunnyvale's pest control rules stack up against other locations.
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