Santa Cruz County, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- SCCC § 12.10.425, amending 1997 UCASGH
- Appeal window
- 30 days (10 days if posted immediately dangerous)
- Hearing scheduling
- 15-60 days after appeal filed
- Determining officials
- Building Official (structural), County Geologist (geologic)
- Recorded notice
- certificate filed with County Recorder
Summary
Unincorporated Santa Cruz County enforces a locally amended Uniform Code for the Abatement of Structural and Geologic Hazards, letting the Building Official or County Geologist declare a dangerous building or site a public nuisance and order repair, vacation or demolition, with appeal rights to a County Hearing Officer.
402 Recordation of Notice and Order. If compliance is not had with the order within the time specified therein, and no appeal has been properly and timely filed, the Director or designee may file in the office of the County Recorder a certificate describing the property and certifying (i) that the building or site or portion thereof is dangerous and (ii) that the owner has been so notified. Whenever the corrections ordered shall thereafter have been completed or the building demolished and/or the geologic conditions mitigated to a level acceptable to the County so that it no longer exists as a dangerous building or site or portion thereof on the property described in the certificate, the Director or designee shall file a new certificate with the County Recorder certifying that the building has been demolished or all required corrections have been made.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5004302; v11 updated 2026-05-19; through 05-19-2026).
Full Breakdown
425 retitles and amends it as the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Structural and Geologic Hazards. 1, the Building Official determines whether a building or structure is dangerous and unsafe, while the County Geologist makes that call for geologic conditions; the Director or designee administers the abatement process. Amended Section 202 authorizes the Director to initiate proceedings to abate a dangerous building or site as a public nuisance by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal once an inspection supports that finding. 1 lets the Director commence formal proceedings once an inspection shows the building or site is dangerous, and Section 402 allows recording a certificate with the County Recorder identifying the property as dangerous; a follow-up certificate clears the record once corrections are complete or the building is demolished.
1 requires a written appeal within 30 days of service (10 days if the building is posted as immediately dangerous under Section 404), containing a caption, statement of legal interest, statement of the order protested, relief sought, signatures, and a declaration under penalty of perjury. The Hearing Officer must set a hearing date between 15 and 60 days after filing, with 10 days' written notice, and enforcement of the order is stayed while a timely appeal is pending.
Violations & Fines
A building or site found dangerous and left unabated after a Director's order can be recorded as a public nuisance with the County Recorder; owners who miss the 30-day appeal window (10 days for postings under Section 404) waive their right to a hearing, and the County may proceed to require repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides if a building is dangerous in unincorporated Santa Cruz County?
How long do I have to appeal a dangerous-building order?
What happens if I don't fix a building the County has flagged as dangerous?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Cruz County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Cruz County to another location·View the California property maintenance overview
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