Dallas, TX Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Code Section
- Ch. 27, Sec. 27-11 (Minimum Standards)
- Graffiti
- Ch. 31, Sec. 31-38 (duty to remove)
- Public Safety Nuisance
- Ch. 27, Art. V
- Penalty
- $50-$500/day per violation
- Enforcement
- Code Compliance Services via 311
Summary
Dallas City Code Chapter 27 (Minimum Property Standards) addresses property blight and nuisance conditions. Sec. 27-11 establishes minimum standards and owner responsibilities for maintaining safe, sanitary, and habitable structures. Article V covers public safety nuisances. Chapter 31, Sec. 31-38 requires property owners to remove graffiti. Code Compliance Services investigates complaints and can issue citations with fines of $50-$500 per day. Vacant structures may be ordered secured or demolished.
Sec. 343.011. PUBLIC NUISANCE. (a) This section applies only to the unincorporated area of a county.(b) A person may not cause, permit, or allow a public nuisance under this section.(c) A public nuisance is:(1) keeping, storing, or accumulating refuse on premises in a neighborhood unless the refuse is entirely contained in a closed receptacle;(2) keeping, storing, or accumulating rubbish, including newspapers, abandoned vehicles, refrigerators, stoves, furniture, tires, and cans, on premises in a neighborhood or within 300 feet of a public street for 10 days or more, unless the rubbish or object is completely enclosed in a building or is not visible from a public street;(3) maintaining premises in a manner that creates an unsanitary condition likely to attract or harbor mosquitoes, rode...
Full Breakdown
Dallas property maintenance codes address conditions that create blight and reduce neighborhood property values. Common violations include peeling or deteriorating exterior paint, broken or boarded windows, accumulated junk or debris, overgrown vegetation, damaged roofing, and non-functioning vehicles. Vacant and abandoned properties may be subject to vacant property registration requirements. The municipality may abate nuisance conditions and charge the property owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a blighted property in Dallas?
Can Dallas demolish a vacant blighted building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas
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Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle property blight.