Fontana, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Abandoned, unsafe or dangerous buildings are a public nuisance (§ 18-2(d)(2))
- Unfinished construction
- Permits expired or work abandoned for two or more years
- Cure period, ordinary nuisance
- At least 10 days after notice (§ 18-3)
- Cure period, dangerous building
- At least 30 days after notice (§ 18-3)
- Abatement order deadline
- No less than 45 days after notice for dangerous buildings (§ 18-11)
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor; up to $1,000 fine, six months jail, or both (§ 5-212(a))
- Court challenge deadline
- 90 days after the city manager's decision (§ 18-22)
Summary
Fontana declares a public nuisance for any building that is abandoned, partially destroyed, unsafe, or left unfinished after its permits expire or work stops for two or more years. The city allows at least 10 days to cure ordinary violations and at least 30 days for dangerous or substandard buildings. A violation is a misdemeanor.
A building or structure is maintained thereon in the condition such that it would constitute a "dangerous building" as defined in section 302 of the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, as adopted and enforced within the city. Buildings which are abandoned, partially destroyed or unsafe, as defined in the latest adopted Uniform Building Code, or left in an unreasonable state of partial construction are determined to be a nuisance. An unreasonable state of partial construction is defined as any unfinished building or structure for which required permits have expired, or construction activity has been abandoned for two or more years. ... A violation of this section is a misdemeanor. ... shall be at least ten days for nuisances that do not involve a substandard or dangerous building. When the nuisance involves a substandard or dangerous building, the reasonable abatement period shall be at least 30 days. ... Upon conviction such person is punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, ($1,000) or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment for each offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 17).
Full Breakdown
Section 18-2(d)(2) of the Fontana Municipal Code makes it unlawful for any owner, lessee or occupant, or anyone in charge of real property, to allow a building or structure to sit in a condition that would qualify as a "dangerous building" under section 302 of the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings. The same paragraph declares a nuisance any building that is abandoned, partially destroyed or unsafe, as defined in the latest adopted Uniform Building Code, or left in an unreasonable state of partial construction. Fontana defines that last term exactly: an unfinished building or structure whose required permits have expired, or on which construction activity has been abandoned for two or more years. The paragraph ties the problem to the neighborhood, pointing to appearance or other conditions that detract from the immediate neighborhood or reduce nearby property values.
The companion list in section 18-2(d)(6) adds dilapidated or collapse-prone structures, breeding places for rodents or vermin, boarded-up buildings, vacant structures open to easy entry through unsecured doors or windows, and visible deterioration such as peeling paint, broken windows, roofs in disrepair, damaged porches or broken steps, dry rot and warping. Section 5-211 adopts the 1997 edition of the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, and section 5-212 rewrites parts of it for Fontana.
Enforcement starts with section 18-3. The director of community development sends a notice that details the violations and sets an abatement period of at least ten days, or at least 30 days when a substandard or dangerous building is involved. For those buildings, notice also goes by registered or certified mail to mortgagees and deed-of-trust beneficiaries, and tenants of untenable units get a posted notice or a first class mailing. Under section 18-8, the notice stays posted for ten days (30 for dangerous buildings), and the hearing is set at least ten or 30 days after mailing and posting. The city manager hears the case, and an order to abate for a dangerous building that is not an emergency must give a completion date of no less than 45 days after service of the notice.
Violations & Fines
A violation of section 18-2 is a misdemeanor, and under section 18-20(e) each day a nuisance condition exists counts as a separate offense. For dangerous buildings, section 5-212(a) rewrites Section 203 of the dangerous buildings code so that conviction carries a fine not exceeding $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both, for each offense. Ignoring an abatement order, removing a posted notice or interfering with city staff is also unlawful under section 18-20. If the owner does not comply, the city abates the nuisance and records costs as a lien (section 18-19). A second or later judgment within two years lets the city attorney seek three times the abatement costs (section 18-24).
Frequently Asked Questions
When does an unfinished building in Fontana count as a nuisance?
How much time does Fontana give an owner to fix a blighted property?
Who decides whether the property is a nuisance, and can the owner appeal?
What happens if the owner ignores the abatement order?
Can Fontana act without a hearing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fontana
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