Orangeburg County, SC Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)

Section 9-26 of the community development code lets the code official condemn any structure or piece of equipment in the unincorporated county that is unsafe, unfit for human occupancy, or unlawful. The section defines those terms broadly and then lists eleven specific 'dangerous structure or premises' conditions in subsection (a)(5): blocked or unsafe means of egress; fire, flood, wind, or vandalism damage that risks partial or complete collapse; exterior parts not strong enough to resist one-and-a-half times their designed load; foundation failure or ground movement that threatens collapse; a building unsafe for its use; a neglected or abandoned building that has become an attractive nuisance to children, vagrants, or criminals; a building built or maintained in violation of the fire or building code to the point of real risk; a dwelling so deteriorated it is unsanitary or unfit for habitation; a building lacking fire-resistance or system safety to the point of threatening life or health; and structural remnants left after a demolition that themselves become a hazard or nuisance.

If the code official finds a structure both violates the code and endangers the health, safety, or welfare of people in or around it, § 9-26(b) requires condemnation. For a vacant, unfit structure not in danger of collapse, § 9-26(c) lets the code official placard it and order it closed instead of demolished. The code official can also disconnect utility service in an emergency to eliminate an immediate hazard (§ 9-26(d)), and must post and serve notice under the same requirements that govern any other code violation notice (§ 9-25).