Elyria, OH Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Structural trigger
- 33% damage to supporting members or 50% to enclosing walls
- Compliance period
- 30 days from notice under Section 1391.123
- Hearing demand
- 14 business days after notice, to the Demolition Board of Appeals
- Emergency abatement
- 10 business days after notice before City abates
- Fine
- Up to $200.00 per offense plus $10.00 per day
- Cost recovery
- Certified to Lorain County Auditor as a lien on the land
Summary
In the City of Elyria, Ohio, a building that is structurally failing, fire-damaged, unfit to live in, or left vacant and unmaintained is declared a public nuisance under Chapter 1391 of the Codified Ordinances. The Chief Building Official orders it barricaded, repaired, vacated or demolished, and the City can do the work and lien the land if the owner does not.
As used in this chapter, all unsafe buildings within the terms of Section 1391.115 are hereby declared and shall be deemed to be public nuisances by reason of the condition in which the same are permitted to be or remain and which shall or may endanger the health, life, limb or property, or cause any harm, hurt, inconvenience, discomfort, damage or injury to any one or more persons in the City, in any one or more of the following particulars: (a) By reason of being a public nuisance to the general health of the community. (b) By reason of being a fire hazard. (c) By reason of being unfit for human habitation, or use on, in, upon, about or around the aforesaid premises. (d) By reason of being a public nuisance because of long, continued vacancy, lack of reasonable or adequate maintenance of structure and/or premises adjacent thereto, thereby depreciating the enjoyment and use of property in the immediate vicinity to such an extent that it is harmful to the community in which such structure is situated.
Full Breakdown
Elyria City Council made a formal finding in Section 1391.115 that unsafe, blighted, dangerous and deteriorating buildings threaten public health, safety and welfare. Section 1391.12 lists what counts as an unsafe building: interior walls or vertical members that list, lean or buckle, 33% or more damage to supporting members, 50% or more damage to the enclosing outside walls or covering, fire or wind damage that leaves the structure unsound, inadequate egress, parts that can detach and fall, and any building in violation of the Building Code, the Fire Prevention Code or other City ordinances. Section 1391.121, quoted above, declares every such building a public nuisance, including one that is harmful because of long, continued vacancy and lack of maintenance.
The Chief Building Official inspects on a complaint from any person or a report from the Fire or Police Department. Notice goes to the owner, occupant, lessee and mortgagee shown in the Lorain County Recorder's records, by posting, personal delivery, certified mail or newspaper publication, and gives 30 days to vacate, barricade, repair or demolish. A notice that the building is an Unsafe Building is posted on the structure, and removing it is unlawful. Under Section 1391.122 the official orders a building barricaded if that cures the problem, repaired if it can reasonably be repaired, vacated if it endangers occupants, and demolished when it is 50% damaged or decayed or cannot be repaired. A barricade order requires the owner to cover all doors, windows and openings at the owner's expense and post "No Trespassing" signs.
Any party in interest has 14 business days after notice to demand a hearing before the three-member Demolition Board of Appeals, which must hold it within 14 business days of the demand. If the order is ignored for 30 business days, the Board has the work done, the Safety Service Director certifies the cost to the County Auditor, and the amount becomes a lien on the land. In an emergency the owner has 10 business days after notice before the City abates the building. Chapter 1397 separately presumes a gasoline filling station a nuisance once it has not operated for three consecutive months.
Violations & Fines
The owner of an unsafe building who ignores a notice or order to repair, barricade, vacate or demolish is guilty of a misdemeanor under Section 1391.99 and faces a fine of not more than $200.00 for each offense, plus $10.00 for each day the failure continues past the compliance date. An occupant or lessee who ignores a vacate, repair or barricade order faces the same $200.00 fine and $10.00 daily charge. The City can also complete the work itself and lien the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an Elyria owner have to fix a building declared unsafe?
Can an owner challenge an unsafe building order in Elyria?
Who pays when the City barricades or demolishes an unsafe building?
Does a vacant building count as a nuisance in Elyria?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elyria
Compare Elyria to another location·View the Ohio property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.