Des Moines, IA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforced by
- Neighborhood Inspection Division administrator
- Cost payment due
- 30 days from billing
- Cost recovery
- personal judgment or property tax lien
- Extension option
- renovation agreement under § 60-201
- Applies to
- structures and mobile homes citywide
Summary
Des Moines can declare any unsafe, dangerous, or unfit structure a public nuisance, order it vacated immediately, and repair or demolish it at the owner's expense if the owner doesn't act first.
Any structure or premises declared to be a public nuisance and unfit for human habitation or use, and so designated by the administrator, shall immediately be vacated and the nuisance shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or any other city-approved corrective action. The owner(s) shall be responsible for the vacation and abatement of the nuisance at such owner's expense. If not brought into compliance by such owner(s), then the nuisance may be abated by the city at the owner's expense. Both the owner of a mobile home and the owner of the land upon which the mobile home sits shall be responsible for vacation and abatement of the public nuisance.
(O.16,392)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under Municipal Code Chapter 60, Article III (Blighted Structure Code), the Neighborhood Inspection Division administrator can declare a structure or premises a public nuisance when it is unsafe, dangerous, or unfit for occupancy, collapsing or deteriorated structural members, exposed hazards, or fire-safety failures listed in § 60-192. Once declared, § 60-191 requires immediate vacation and abatement by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or other city-approved corrective action at the owner's expense; the building is placarded 'DANGER, PUBLIC NUISANCE' under § 60-193. Cases not brought into compliance go to city council, which can direct district-court action.
Violations & Fines
Occupying or removing the placard from a condemned structure without authorization violates §§ 60-193–60-194. If an owner doesn't abate, the city does it and bills the owner, with costs due within 30 days or collected as a personal judgment or property tax assessment under § 60-200.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don't fix a condemned building in Des Moines?
Can I get more time to fix a nuisance property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
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