Dunwoody, GA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Dunwoody's unsafe-buildings ordinance, Chapter 22, Article II, lets the city force repair or demolition of any dwelling, building or structure that is unfit for human habitation, unfit for commercial or business use, or tied to drug crimes. The city manager appoints the code enforcement officer, fire marshal, fire chief, police chief, and building inspector as 'public officers' empowered to investigate under § 22-22(b). A case starts when a public authority or at least five city residents file a written complaint; the public officer then inspects the property and, if conditions warrant, files an in rem complaint against the real estate itself.

Owners and other interested parties get a hearing before a court of competent jurisdiction held 15 to 45 days after the complaint is filed, per § 22-22(c). If the court finds the property unfit, § 22-22(d) requires it to choose between two orders: where repair is reasonable relative to the structure's present value, the owner must repair, alter or improve the building to code within a set deadline; where repair costs exceed that value, the owner must demolish and remove the structure and all debris.

If the owner does not comply, the public officer may have the work done directly and posts a placard declaring the building unfit and its use unlawful. The cost of city-performed demolition, plus court costs and administrative fees, becomes a lien against the property once a certified copy of the order is filed with the Clerk of DeKalb County Superior Court, and the county tax commissioner collects it alongside ad valorem property taxes, with interest and penalties accruing 30 days after the lien is imposed. An owner may avoid the lien by contracting with the city on a rehabilitation timetable. § 5-3-29.