Blight enforcement in Kanawha County is split. Charleston and the other cities run active code enforcement against dilapidated buildings, junk and overgrowth. In the unincorporated county, the County Commission uses its state-granted authority to order unsafe, dilapidated structures repaired or removed.
Inside the cities, property-maintenance codes do the heavy lifting: Charleston's code enforcement division cites peeling paint, broken or boarded windows, accumulated junk, inoperable vehicles and overgrown lots, gives written notice with a compliance deadline, and can abate and lien the cost. In the unincorporated county, the Kanawha County Commission draws its power from WV Code §7-1-3ff, which lets county commissions adopt ordinances to regulate and order the repair or removal of dilapidated, unsafe and unsanitary buildings. West Virginia's older Appalachian housing stock and pockets of vacancy make this a live issue. Owners get notice and a chance to fix conditions before the county or city acts.
After written notice and a compliance period, a city or the county may abate the nuisance — clean the lot or demolish an unsafe structure — and charge or lien the cost against the property, with escalating fines.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Charleston, WV
West Virginia Senate Bill 167, enacted in 2017, prohibits sanctuary policies. Charleston cannot adopt rules barring police cooperation with federal immigrati...
Charleston, WV
Charleston cannot set its own minimum wage above the West Virginia rate of 8.75 dollars per hour set by W. Va. Code Section 21-5C-2. State law preempts local...
Charleston, WV
Charleston levies a business and occupation gross receipts tax under Chapter 10 of the City Code, with rates that vary by business classification such as ret...
Charleston, WV
Charleston has not adopted a hotel worker retention ordinance like those in some larger cities. Hotel sales or change-of-control transactions in Charleston f...
Charleston, WV
Charleston hotel guests pay a 6 percent city hotel occupancy tax under W. Va. Code Chapter 7 plus a 6 percent state consumer sales tax, totaling roughly 12 p...
Charleston, WV
Charleston enforces loud party rules through the city noise ordinance and disorderly conduct provisions in Chapter 24, with stronger response near East End r...
See how Charleston's property blight rules stack up against other locations.
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