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Green Bay, WI Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Trigger
dilapidated, unsafe, or unfit
City can order
repair or razing
Non-compliance fine
$5-$50 per week
Cost recovery
special charge on property

Summary

The City can order the owner of a dangerous, dilapidated Green Bay building to repair it or tear it down, and do the work itself if the owner refuses.

If any building located within the City is old, dilapidated, or out of repair and consequently dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise unfit for human habitation and unreasonable to repair, the Director may order the owner of the building to raze and remove such building; or, if the building can be made safe by reasonable repairs, order the owner to either make the building safe and sanitary or raze and remove it, at the owner's option...

Full Breakdown

Section 8-71(a) lets the Director order the owner of a building that's old, dilapidated, unsafe, unsanitary, or unfit for habitation to either raze it or make it safe, at the owner's choice, within a deadline the order specifies. If the owner doesn't comply, the City can have the building razed through a contractor or closed to occupancy, then bill the removal cost against the property as a special charge on the tax roll. Buildings condemned as unfit for habitation get posted with a placard barring occupancy until repairs are made.

Violations & Fines

Occupying, renting, or leasing a condemned building draws a fine of $5.00 to $50.00 for each week of the violation; unpaid razing costs become a special charge against the property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Green Bay force me to fix or demolish a rundown building?
Yes. Under § 8-71(a) the Director can order the owner to repair or raze it, or choose between the two if repair is reasonable.
What if I ignore the order?
The City can raze or close the building itself and charge the cost back to the property as a special assessment on the tax roll.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Green Bay

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