Greenburgh, NY Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Notice deadline
- 14 days to secure or remove structure
- Who determines unsafe
- Building Inspector, § 340-2
- Filed with
- Westchester County Clerk as notice of pendency
- Town action requires
- Hearing on notice to owner first
- Costs
- Assessed against the land, § 340-3D
Summary
When Greenburgh's Building Inspector finds a building or structure dangerous or unsafe, Chapter 340, Demolition, gives the owner 14 days after notice to make it safe or remove it, and if nothing happens the Town Board can order the work done itself and bill the property for every dollar spent.
A. Notice of a dangerous or unsafe condition shall be served on the owner or some one of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the same... Said notice shall contain a statement describing the reasons the building or structure is dangerous or unsafe and an order requiring the same to be made safe and secure or removed... The notice shall provide that the building, premises or structure must be made safe and secure or removed within 14 days after service of the notice. ... D. The costs and expenses incurred by the Town in connection with the proceedings set forth in this chapter, including the costs of actually making safe, securing or removing said dangerous or unsafe condition, shall be assessed against the land on which the dangerous or unsafe condition is located.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4570580; v39 updated 2025-10-22; through 10-22-2025).
Full Breakdown
Greenburgh's blight and unsafe-structure process runs through two cross-referenced chapters. " Section 340-2 lets the Building Inspector or a designated representative inspect any building, premises or structure in the Town and determine whether a dangerous or unsafe condition exists. Once that determination is made, § 340-3 controls the procedure: written notice describing the dangerous condition must be served on the owner, executor, agent or lessee, personally or by certified mail, with a copy posted on the premises if mailed. The notice must order that the structure be made safe and secure or removed within 14 days of service.
A copy is filed with the Westchester County Clerk, docketed the same way as a notice of pendency under CPLR Article 65, putting the condition on the public record. If the responsible party fails to act, the Town Board may, after a hearing on notice to the owner, order the building made safe, secured or removed itself. Section 340-3D then puts the cost on the property: all costs and expenses the Town incurs, including the actual work of making the structure safe, securing it or removing it, are assessed against the land on which the condition sits.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 340 does not set a separate fine schedule; its remedy is the abatement process itself. After a hearing, the Town Board can authorize repair or demolition of a noncompliant structure and assess every cost, including professional fees, against the land as a charge under § 340-3D. Owners who ignore the 14-day notice risk losing control of both the timeline and the bill to the Town.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides a Greenburgh building is unsafe?
How long do I have to fix or remove an unsafe structure?
What if the owner never complies?
Where does the Town record the unsafe-building notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenburgh
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Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle property blight.