Glendale, AZ Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Sec. 25-23; Sec. 25-70 to 25-75
- Repair/demolish deadline
- 3 months from notice
- Maximum extension
- 9 months for good cause
- Demolition cost recovery
- Recorded lien on the property
- Appeal path
- Superior Court
- Slum property authority
- A.R.S. § 33-1901 et seq.
Summary
Owners of unsecured vacant or abandoned buildings in Glendale must permanently secure every door and window opening to the city's securement specs, or the city will do it at the owner's expense. Buildings damaged by fire, flood or other sudden causes must be repaired or demolished within three months of notice.
(a)Any unsecured vacant or abandoned building or structure that is structurally sound, weatherproof and otherwise safe must be permanently secured to prevent entry by unauthorized persons.(b)All unsecured window and door openings must be secured in accordance with the City of Glendale securement specifications as approved by the city manager. A copy of securement specifications can be obtained from the Glendale Code Compliance Division.(c)If the owner fails or refuses to properly secure the building or structure the city may, at the expense of the owner, complete the work by contract and the owner shall be liable for all costs incurred.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 115).
Full Breakdown
Glendale Code of Ordinances § 25-23 requires any unsecured vacant or abandoned building or structure that is structurally sound, weatherproof and otherwise safe to be permanently secured against unauthorized entry, with all window and door openings closed per securement specifications approved by the city manager and available from the Code Compliance Division; if the owner won't do it, the city can complete the work by contract and charge the owner for every cost incurred. A companion set of provisions, Sections 25-70 through 25-75, covers buildings damaged by fire, flood, wind, earthquake or other sudden natural causes and declares them public nuisances that must be repaired or demolished.
The building safety director inspects on complaint, and if the structure qualifies as a "damaged building," must notify the owner and all parties in interest by certified mail or personal service that they have three months to repair or demolish it. If that deadline passes, the director gives written notice to appear before a city-manager-appointed hearing officer, who can authorize demolition, with costs recorded as a lien against the property senior to every encumbrance but general tax liens, or grant an extension of up to nine months for good cause before ordering demolition anyway if the extension is missed. Any hearing officer determination can only be appealed to superior court. 3.
Violations & Fines
Failing to secure a vacant or abandoned building lets the city complete the securement by contract and bill the owner for the full cost under Section 25-23(c). A damaged building not repaired or demolished within the three-month notice period, or a granted extension of up to nine months, goes to a hearing officer who can order demolition, with the cost recorded as a property lien under Section 25-75; slum property designations and their assessments can be appealed within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to board up a vacant house I own in Glendale?
How long do I have to repair or tear down a fire-damaged building in Glendale?
Can Glendale label my rental property as "slum property"?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glendale
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