Cook County, IL Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcement
- Dept. of Building & Zoning / State's Attorney
- Daily fine range
- $500.00 to $1,000.00 per day
- Remedies
- Repair, demolition, or title forfeiture
- Geographic scope
- Unincorporated County + IGA municipalities
- Citation
- Cook County Code § 102-22
Summary
Buildings with imminently hazardous code violations, or vacant structures left open after a securing order, are declared public nuisances the County can force into court-ordered repair or demolition.
The following buildings and structures are hereby declared to be public nuisances subject to abatement proceedings under this section: ... (2) A building or structure that contains any violation of a health, fire, electrical, plumbing, building or zoning provision of this Code which is imminently dangerous and hazardous ... the owner ... shall be fined not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each day the nuisance has existed until the nuisance is abated.
Full Breakdown
Cook County Code § 102-22 declares four categories of buildings public nuisances: a vacant building left open after a court or administrative securing order, a structure with an imminently dangerous health, fire, electrical, plumbing, building or zoning violation, a structure whose repair cost exceeds its post-repair market value, and one whose owner ignored a code-violation judgment for 60+ days. The State's Attorney can sue in Circuit Court for an abatement order covering repair, enclosure, demolition, or forfeiture of title; costs become a first lien on the property. Applies in unincorporated Cook County and in any municipality that has signed an intergovernmental agreement to participate.
Violations & Fines
Fines of $500 to $1,000 per day the nuisance continues, plus recoverable repair, demolition, receivership and attorney's-fee costs that attach as a first lien on the property, senior to prior mortgages except taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside Chicago or other Cook County towns?
Can the County actually take the property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cook County
Compare Cook County to another location·View the Illinois property maintenance overview
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