Carrollton, TX Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 158, adopted Ordinance 4036, 11/9/2021
- Enforcement
- Designated City Official + Property Standards Board
- Hearing notice
- At least 10 days, mailed and published
- Standard compliance window
- 30 days, extendable to 90
- Demolition threshold
- Damage exceeding 50% of reasonable value
- Lien interest rate
- 10% per annum on unpaid abatement costs
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor fine, separate offense per day
Summary
Carrollton's Substandard Structures Abatement Code lets the Designated City Official (the City Manager or a delegate) declare a dilapidated, unsecured or hazardous structure substandard and send it to the Property Standards Board for a public hearing, repair or demolition order, and lien-backed cost recovery if the owner does not comply.
(A) The following conditions, defects and things are, each and all of them, hereby declared to be and constitute a violation of this chapter: (1) Any structure or portion thereof that is: (a) Dilapidated, substandard, or unfit for human habitation or use and constitutes a hazard to public health, safety, and welfare; (b) Regardless of structural condition, is unoccupied by its owners, lessees, or other invitees, and is unsecured from unauthorized entry to the extent that it could be entered or used by unauthorized or uninvited individuals or minors as a place of harborage or for unauthorized or illegal purpose; or (c) Boarded up, fenced, or otherwise secured in any manner if: (i) The structure constitutes a danger to the public even though secured from entry; or (ii) The means used to secure the structure are inadequate to prevent unauthorized entry or use of the building.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 158 of the Carrollton Code of Ordinances, adopted by Ordinance 4036 on 11/9/2021 under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 214, Subchapter A, and Chapter 54, Subchapter B, sets 17 specific violation triggers in Sec. 06(A), including structures unfit for habitation, unsecured vacant buildings usable as "harborage," fire-damaged construction below code strength, and buildings abandoned more than six months. When the Designated City Official (DCO) finds a violation of the minimum standards in Sec. 07, Sec. 08 requires the Property Standards Board (PSB) to hold a public hearing on at least ten days' personal delivery or mailed notice, plus newspaper publication ten days before the hearing.
Under Sec. 11, the PSB can order the structure vacated, secured, repaired, or demolished, generally within 30 days, extendable to 90 days if the owner shows the work cannot reasonably finish sooner and submits a time schedule; owners with over $100,000 in city property value can be required to post a bond or letter of credit within 30 days of the order. Sec. 13 requires demolition, rather than repair, whenever damage exceeds 50 percent of the structure's reasonable value or it cannot be brought into compliance with the construction, commercial, or housing codes.
If the owner misses the deadline, Sec. 16 lets the DCO contract out the abatement work, and Sec. 17 charges the owner the actual abatement cost plus an administrative fee and sales tax; unpaid balances after 30 days become a lien on the property bearing 10 percent annual interest, subordinate only to tax liens. Sec. 15 allows the DCO to require abatement within 24 hours for an immediate threat to health and safety, bypassing the standard notice period.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply with Chapter 158 or a Property Standards Board order is a misdemeanor under Sec. 158.18, fined per title I, section 10.99(A)(2)(p) of the Carrollton Code, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The city may also pursue civil enforcement under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 54. An owner, lienholder or mortgagee aggrieved by a PSB order may appeal under Texas Local Government Code Section 214.0012, with the city entitled to recover attorney's fees and costs if it prevails on Chapter 214 grounds (Sec. 158.19).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides whether a Carrollton building is substandard?
How long does an owner have to repair or demolish a substandard structure?
What happens if the owner never repairs or demolishes the structure?
Can the city act faster than the normal 30-90 day process?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas property maintenance overview
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