Bakersfield, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- BMC § 8.27.010
- Enforcing agency
- Building director / code enforcement
- First infraction fine
- Up to $50
- Misdemeanor max
- $1,000 or 6 months jail
- Imminent-hazard abatement
- Within 48 hours of notice
- Vacant commercial registry
- Update within 72 hours of ownership change
Summary
Bakersfield declares eleven specific property conditions a public nuisance under Municipal Code § 8.27.010: from partially destroyed buildings to junk, dead trees and unscreened parking. The building director enforces it with fines starting at $50 and can summarily abate imminent hazards within 48 hours.
It is unlawful and is declared a public nuisance for any person owning, leasing, occupying or having charge or possession of any property in the city to maintain such property in such manner that any of the following conditions exist thereon, except as may be allowed by Title 17 of this code: ... D. Overgrown, dead, decayed, diseased or hazardous trees, weeds and other vegetation: 1. Likely to attract rats, vermin and other nuisances; or 2. Constituting a fire hazard; or 3. Dangerous to public safety and welfare. E. Any building exterior, wall, fence, driveway, sidewalk, or walkway which is maintained in such condition of deterioration or disrepair as to be unsafe or which is so defaced as to substantially detract from the appearance of the immediate neighborhood.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
" The list is specific: a building over 25% destroyed and left unrepaired for six months, or unfinished construction stalled a year or more (subsection A); unsecured vacant-structure openings and hazardous broken windows (B, C); overgrown, dead or diseased trees, weeds or vegetation that attract rats and vermin, create fire hazard, or endanger public safety (D); deteriorated exterior walls, fences, driveways or walkways (E); attractive nuisances like abandoned machinery or dangerous pools (F); visible construction equipment stored outside an active building permit (G); visible junk, trash, debris or salvage materials (H); abandoned household fixtures visible to the public (I); vehicles or trailers parked on unpaved front or side yards adjacent to a street (J); and uncompacted fill dirt containing debris left more than 30 days (K).
050 lets the city summarily abate an imminent life-safety hazard within 48 hours of notice, or a recorded substandard-property nuisance within 14 to 30 days, without going through the full hearing process.
Violations & Fines
First infraction is fined up to $50, a second within a year up to $100, and each further violation up to $250; a misdemeanor charge carries up to $1,000 or six months in county jail, or both (§ 1.40.010). Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, and the city can add a 10% administrative surcharge plus 1% monthly interest and lien the property for inspection and abatement costs (§ 8.80.010).
Frequently Asked Questions
What property conditions count as blight in Bakersfield?
How fast can the city act on a dangerous property?
Does a vacant building need to be registered?
What are the penalties for a blight violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Bakersfield to another location·View the California property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kern County handle property blight.