Annapolis, MD Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Who decides
- Director of Planning and Zoning
- Owner duty
- Board up windows/doors once condemned
- Unpaid boarding-up cost
- Becomes a lien on the property
- Occupying after placard
- Misdemeanor
- Demolition notice
- Up to 90 days to demolish
Summary
Annapolis condemns dwellings as unfit for human habitation when they're hazardously damaged, unsanitary, or lack adequate light, ventilation, or sanitation, triggering vacate and boarding-up orders.
Any dwelling or dwelling unit that is found to have any of the following defects shall be condemned as unfit for human habitation and shall be so designated by the Director of the Department of Planning and Zoning: 1. One which is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or vermin-infested that it creates a serious hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or of the public; 2. One which lacks illumination, ventilation or sanitary facilities adequate to protect the health or safety of the occupants or the public.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2025 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
The Director of Planning and Zoning condemns and placards a dwelling as unfit for human habitation if it is dangerously damaged, decayed, unsanitary, unsafe, or vermin-infested, or lacks adequate light, ventilation, or sanitary facilities. The owner must vacate the unit and board up windows and doors, or the City does it and liens the cost to the property. A tenant who keeps occupying a placarded unit is guilty of a misdemeanor, and if repairs aren't made the Director can order demolition through court after up to 90 days' notice.
Violations & Fines
Continued occupancy of a placarded unit is a misdemeanor; failure to board up a condemned dwelling lets the City do it and lien the cost against the property; demolition costs are also a lien collectible like delinquent taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a dwelling "unfit for human habitation" in Annapolis?
Can I still live in a condemned dwelling in Annapolis?
Who pays if the City boards up my condemned dwelling?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Annapolis
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