Fishers, IN Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcement authority
- Fishers Building Commissioner
- Hearing body
- Fishers City Judge
- Hearing request window
- 10 days after notice
- Max civil penalty
- $5,000 per violation
Summary
Fishers bans owning or maintaining an unsafe building, structure, or premises citywide and lets the Building Commissioner order repair, sealing, or demolition.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or organization to own, occupy or maintain within the municipal limits of the city any unsafe building, unsafe structure or unsafe premises. (Ord. 3-17-80, passed 5-5-80; Am. Ord. 051591, passed 5-15-91; Ord. 062011A, passed 8-15-11; Am. Ord. 022012, passed 2-20-12; Am. Ord. 091514A, passed 11- 17-14) Penalty, see § 159.10
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance No. 051826E, passed 5-18-26; and Resolution No. R051826C, passed 5-18-26; and State legislation current through Indiana Legislative Service, 2026 Acts, Pamphlet #1).
Full Breakdown
The Fishers Building Commissioner, acting as enforcement authority, can declare a building, structure, or vacant tract unsafe if it is structurally impaired, a fire or health hazard, a public nuisance, or vacant and unfit for habitation. Orders can require vacating, sealing, vermin extermination, debris removal, repair, or demolition. Orders become final ten days after notice unless a person with a property interest requests a hearing before the City Judge, who can affirm, rescind, or modify the order. Owners who fail to comply can face a civil penalty up to $5,000 per violation, and the city can perform the work itself and bill the owner, or file the unpaid cost as a special assessment with the Hamilton County Auditor.
Violations & Fines
Owning, occupying, or maintaining an unsafe building, structure, or premises within city limits is unlawful under § 159.04; interfering with an abatement order is a Class C infraction, and willful noncompliance with an order can draw a civil penalty of up to $5,000 imposed by the Fishers City Judge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides if a Fishers building is unsafe?
Can the city demolish an unsafe building in Fishers without a hearing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fishers
Compare Fishers to another location·View the Indiana property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.