Bartow County, GA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing article
- Unfit Property Article III, §§ 18-553 to 18-564
- Conditions listed
- 20 examples in § 18-556(b)
- Remedy
- Court-ordered repair or demolition
- Enforcement
- County code enforcement officer, incl. zoning department
- Cost recovery
- Demolition/repair cost becomes a lien on the property
Summary
Bartow County can declare a building, dwelling, or structure in unincorporated Bartow County illegal and unfit for habitation or its current use when conditions like fire hazards, dilapidation, structural defects, or severe uncleanliness endanger occupants or the public. County Code § 18-556 lists 20 specific conditions a code enforcement officer can cite to order repair or demolition.
(a)Any building or structure that has any of the following conditions (as listed below under subsection (b)), such that the life, health, property, or safety of its occupants or the general public are endangered are hereby declared illegal and unfit for human habitation or the building or structure's current commercial, industrial or business use (as applicable), and shall be abated by repair or demolition. ... (1)Defects increasing the hazards of fire, accidents, or other calamities;(2)Lack of adequate ventilation, light, or sanitary facilities;(3)Dilapidation;(4)Disrepair;(5)Structural defects;
Full Breakdown
Bartow County Code § 18-556, part of the Unfit Property article, authorizes the code enforcement officer to find a dwelling, building, structure, or property unfit for human habitation or for its current commercial, industrial, or business use whenever conditions exist that are dangerous or injurious to the health, safety, or morals of its occupants, neighboring residents, or the county generally. Section 18-556(b) lists 20 non-exclusive examples, including defects that increase fire or accident hazards, inadequate ventilation, light, or sanitary facilities, dilapidation, disrepair, structural defects, severe uncleanliness or rodent infestation, fire, flood, or wind damage that leaves a structure below the strength required for new construction, decay or deterioration threatening full or partial collapse, inadequate means of egress, unsecured or non-weatherproof exterior siding, dangerous wiring, and a dwelling that lacks a working kitchen sink, tub or shower, flush toilet, or functioning electrical service.
A building found unfit under § 18-556 must be abated by repair or demolition, following the complaint and inspection procedure at § 18-558. Code enforcement officers, including officers of the zoning department, are authorized under § 18-555 to investigate, enter premises for examination, and issue citations and complaints for article violations, drawing on Title 41, Chapter 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, which the article incorporates by reference under § 18-553.
Violations & Fines
After notice and a hearing, a court can order the owner to repair, alter, or improve the property within a set time, or, if repair is not reasonable relative to the property's value, to demolish and remove the structure and all debris under § 18-558(e). Failure to comply lets the code enforcement officer complete the repair or demolition, and the county can recover its costs, attorney's fees, and litigation costs as a lien against the property under §§ 18-558(f) and (h).
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building 'unfit' under Bartow County's code?
What happens after a property is found unfit?
Who pays if the county has to demolish an unfit building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bartow County
Compare Bartow County to another location·View the Georgia property maintenance overview
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