Cocoa, FL Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Division 6 of Cocoa's building chapter, §§ 6-600 through 6-611, governs abatement of unsafe or dangerous buildings. Section 6-600 defines an "unsafe building or premises" as one that "endangers the life, health, property or safety of the general public" through any of ten listed conditions, including inadequate or damaged means of egress, structural stress exceeding the building code's allowed working stresses, exterior elements not properly anchored against wind or seismic loads, and any building "as a result of decay, deterioration or dilapidation that is likely to fully or partially collapse," or that otherwise constitutes a public nuisance.

The building official enforces the division and, under § 6-601, may enter any building or premises at reasonable times to inspect, using an inspection warrant if entry is refused. Once a violation is confirmed, § 6-603 requires a written notice of violation identifying the address, the unsafe conditions found, any occupant vacate deadline, and the required remedial action, which can include repair, reconstruction or demolition; the notice is recorded with the county clerk of court and served by posting, hand delivery or certified mail. A property owner who wants to contest the notice must request a hearing before the code enforcement board in writing within seven days or waive that right.

If the board finds the unsafe condition confirmed and uncorrected, § 6-604 lets it order the building official to repair, alter, remove or demolish the structure. Section 6-607 lets the city recover its costs: whenever the city bears the expense of repair or demolition, those costs, plus the expense of title searches and any attorney's fees, are certified against the owner and become a lien on the land, collectible the same way as delinquent property tax liens, with the owner given 15 days to appeal the cost certification to the code enforcement board before the lien is recorded. This division was enacted by Ord. No. 16-06 in May 2006 and last amended on cost recovery by Ord. No. 15-2016 in September 2016.