Property Maintenance in Santa Barbara County, CA (2026)
2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Santa Barbara County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Property Blight
In the unincorporated county, the Building Official can inspect and red-tag any structure reasonably suspected of being substandard, unsafe, or built in violation of the 2025 California Building Code. Owners get a written Notice and Order to repair, rehabilitate, remove, or demolish; refusal brings County-recovered abatement costs, a recorded property lien, and criminal prosecution.
Santa Barbara County Dangerous Building Abatement
Significant RestrictionsSanta Barbara County Code Sec. 10-1.16
Section 116.1 Abatement Procedures for Dangerous Buildings and Excavations. A. The Building Official shall inspect or cause to be inspected a building, structure or excavation where reasonable suspicion exists that said building, structure or excavation may be substandard, unsafe, or used in violation of this Code ... Section 116.5 Public Nuisance. Buildings or structures, or portions thereof, ...
Vacant Lot Maintenance
County Code Sec. 17-9 requires owners of unincorporated commercial and residential lots to keep the property free of litter and solid waste, and Sec. 17-66 declares any solid waste or litter left on a lot or adjacent land a public nuisance the county can abate at the owner's expense.
Santa Barbara County Vacant Lot Litter Rules
Significant RestrictionsSanta Barbara County Code Sec. 17-9(a) and Sec. 17-66
The owner or responsible party in control of any commercial or residential premises or private property shall at all times maintain the premises or private property free of litter or solid waste... The presence of solid waste, or other litter on a lot, or on land adjacent thereto, except when stored in a container approved for such storage under this chapter, shall constitute a public nuisance ...
Property Maintenance by City in Santa Barbara County
1 cities in Santa Barbara County have their own property maintenance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Santa Barbara County ordinances
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