Dearborn, MI Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibition
- Keeping a dangerous building
- Process
- Notice + hearing + order
- Enforcer
- Building & Safety Dept.
- Penalty
- Up to 120 days, $1,000
Summary
Dearborn makes it unlawful to keep or maintain a "dangerous building", one with unsafe exits, structural damage, collapse risk, or conditions unfit for habitation, under Code of Ordinances § 5-27(20)-(21), with a formal hearing and demolition process.
(20) Dangerous building prohibited. It is unlawful for any owner or agent thereof to keep or maintain any dwelling or part thereof that is a dangerous building as defined in subsection (21). (21) Dangerous buildings defined. ... "dangerous building" means a building or structure that has one or more of the following defects... A part of the building or structure is likely to fall, become detached or dislodged, or collapse and injure persons or damage property.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Code of Ordinances § 5-27(20) bars any owner from keeping a "dangerous building," defined in § 5-27(21) to include structures with blocked or noncompliant exits, fire or storm damage that weakens structural strength, walls likely to collapse, foundations likely to give way, and dwellings the Building and Safety Department finds unfit for habitation. A building vacant and open to trespassers, or left unoccupied 180-plus days without notice to police, also qualifies. Once flagged, § 5-27(22)-(23) requires the enforcing agency to serve written notice, hold a hearing before an appointed hearing officer, and issue an order to repair, secure, or demolish, enforceable by the city council or a dedicated demolition board of appeals.
Violations & Fines
Failing to comply with a final abatement or demolition order is a misdemeanor under § 5-27(25): up to 120 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, plus a lien on the property for the city's costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building "dangerous" under Dearborn's code?
What happens after Dearborn flags a dangerous building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
Compare Dearborn to another location·View the Michigan property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle property blight.