Doral, FL Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Section 5-103 lists four grounds for a director's finding that a dwelling is unfit for human habitation: it is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, or vermin infested that it creates a serious hazard to occupants or the public; it lacks adequate illumination, ventilation, or sanitation; its location, condition, or overcrowding is otherwise a serious hazard; or the owner or occupant failed to comply with a notice or order issued under the article. Once that finding is made, Section 5-104 requires the director to placard the dwelling and order it vacated, though the dwelling cannot be placarded unless ten days' prior notice has been served on the premises.

Section 5-105 bars anyone from moving back in until the director issues written approval and removes the placard, and Section 5-106 makes it unlawful to deface or remove that placard. If the property sits vacant afterward, Section 5-107 requires the owner to make it safe and secure, and an unguarded building left open at the doors and windows is treated as a nuisance in its own right. Where repair costs are not reasonable compared to the building's value, Section 5-108 lets the director include a demolition notice, though the owner can still repair the structure at any cost if it meets the current building and zoning code.

If a demolition or repair order goes unmet, Section 5-109 authorizes the director to do the work directly after at least ten more days' notice, and Section 5-110 lets the city recover those expenses through a lien on the property.