Harris County, TX Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Harris County Public Health Administrator
- Cure period
- 30 days after Notice to Abate
- First-offense fine
- $50 to $200 (Tex. H&S 343.012)
- Admin fee
- $100 plus 10% annual interest
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Harris County only
Summary
Harris County orders owners to repair or demolish structurally unsafe buildings under its Neighborhood Nuisance Abatement Procedures, with the County Attorney able to assess abatement costs and file a lien against the property in unincorporated areas.
Public Nuisance is ... e. Maintaining a building in a manner that is structurally unsafe or constitutes a hazard to safety, health, or public welfare because of inadequate maintenance, unsanitary conditions, dilapidation, obsolescence, fire hazard, disaster, damage, or abandonment.
Full Breakdown
Under Subchapter 11C of Harris County's Community Protection chapter, a public nuisance includes any building maintained in a manner that is structurally unsafe or hazardous to safety, health, or public welfare because of inadequate maintenance, unsanitary conditions, dilapidation, obsolescence, fire hazard, disaster, damage, or abandonment. The Harris County Public Health Administrator investigates complaints and serves a Notice to Abate; owners get 30 days to fix the building before the case can go to a Hearing Examiner and Commissioners Court, which may order county-contracted demolition or repair, assess costs plus a $100 fee, and record a lien on the property. Applies only in unincorporated Harris County.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring the Notice to Abate is a misdemeanor: $50-$200 for a first offense, $200-$1,000 plus up to six months in jail for repeat offenses, with each day a separate violation and unpaid abatement costs becoming a property lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building a 'public nuisance' in unincorporated Harris County?
What happens if I don't fix a condemned building after the county's notice?
Does this rule apply inside Houston?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harris County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Harris County to another location·View the Texas property maintenance overview
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