Letting refuse or debris accumulate on your Durham property is a declared public nuisance. Junk furniture left exposed outdoors is also prohibited. The housing code administrator orders cleanup and can abate at the owner's expense.
Durham City Code Ch. 26, Art. VI (applied jointly by the City-County housing/code program) declares accumulated refuse and debris a public nuisance because it harbors pests and depreciates neighboring values. Sec. 26-183 bars places where "refuse or debris" (all solid waste — garbage, rubbish, ashes, dead animals, abandoned automobiles, industrial refuse) is allowed to accumulate, and separately bars leaving indoor furniture (chairs, sofas, beds) exposed to the elements. The housing code administrator mails and posts a notice ordering correction within 10 days before the City may abate and lien the cost.
Civil penalty of $100 first day, $10 each day after; abatement cost plus 8% interest becomes a tax-priority lien; up to $500 criminal fine for defying a final order.
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