Alexandria, VA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Derelict trigger
- Vacant, boarded up, disconnected 6+ months
- Work plan deadline
- 90 calendar days from notice
- Enforcement authority
- Director, dept. of code administration
- Penalty
- Class 2 misdemeanor, daily separate offense
- Renovation incentive
- Up to $5,000 permit-fee refund
Summary
Alexandria can force the repair, or acquire and repair, blighted or derelict property under City Code Article I. A building vacant, boarded up, and disconnected from utilities for more than six months is derelict; owners get a 90-day deadline to submit a demolition or renovation work plan or face class 2 misdemeanor charges.
The purpose of this article is to provide for the repair or other disposal, or the acquisition and repair or other disposal, by the city of blighted or derelict property. ... Derelict building. A residential or nonresidential building or structure, whether or not construction has been completed, that might endanger the public's health, safety or welfare and for a continuous period in excess of six months has been:(i)Vacant;(ii)Boarded up; and(iii)Not lawfully connected to electric service from a utility service provider or not lawfully connected to any water or sewer service from a utility service provider. ... Unless otherwise specified, any person violating any provision of this article shall be guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor. Each day a violation continues shall be deemed a new and separate violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 156 | Zoning: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 8-1-141 sets the purpose of Article I: allowing the city to require repair or other disposal, or to acquire and repair or otherwise dispose of, blighted or derelict property. Sec. 8-1-142 defines the two triggers separately. 1:1. 'Derelict building' is a residential or nonresidential building, finished or not, that might endanger public health, safety, or welfare and has for more than six continuous months been vacant, boarded up, and not lawfully connected to electric, water, or sewer service. Sec. 8-1-143 vests the director of the department of code administration, or a designee, with authority to require abatement of both categories.
Once the director learns of a derelict building, Sec. 8-1-146 lets him notify the owner by certified mail, after consulting the real estate assessor, that a work plan to demolish or renovate the building must be submitted within 90 calendar days addressing the items that endanger public health, safety, or welfare. Sec. 2, the VUSBC, and the city charter. Owners who follow through get financial breaks: Sec. 8-1-148 refunds demolition permit fees if demolition is proven within 90 days of permit issuance, and can refund up to half of site plan, subdivision, or building permit fees, capped at $5,000 per property, for an approved renovation plan.
Violations & Fines
Violating Article I, including failing to submit a required work plan within 90 days of a derelict-building notice or failing to meet an approved work plan's deadlines, is a class 2 misdemeanor under Sec. 8-1-144 and Sec. 8-1-147(b). Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, and a judge can order the responsible party to remove, restore, remediate, or correct the condition, with continued noncompliance after that order treated as its own daily violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building 'derelict' under Alexandria's code?
How long do I have to respond to an Alexandria derelict building notice?
Can the city demolish a blighted building itself in Alexandria?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alexandria
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