Greenwood, IN Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Section 6-285 of the Greenwood General Ordinances, adopted by Ordinance No. 12-82 in 2012 as the City's Property Maintenance Code, states its purpose directly: to eliminate blight, ensure maintenance of property, and protect public health, safety and welfare tied to the continued occupancy and upkeep of structures and premises. Section 6-287(d) extends that mandate specifically to vacant structures and vacant land, which the City of Greenwood requires to be maintained in a clean, safe, secure, healthful and sanitary condition so they do not cause a blighting problem or negatively affect neighboring properties' value or marketability.

Section 6-288 fills in the exterior details the Code Enforcement Official checks: weeds and rank vegetation visible from the street must stay neat and well maintained, dead or hazardous trees and stumps over twelve inches must be removed, and appliances or furniture cannot sit outside a structure beyond a short disposal window. Enforcement runs through Section 6-285(f): the Code Enforcement Official serves a Notice of Violation and request for abatement on the owner or responsible party, and failure to comply is a strict liability offense.

A first offense draws a $50.00 fine, with each day the violation continues after notice becoming a separate $50.00-per-day offense; a repeat violation within a two-year period doubles the daily fine to $100.00. Daily fines accumulate until they reach the small claims jurisdictional limit of the Johnson Circuit and Superior Courts, Magistrate Division, or until compliance is achieved, and the City may also sue to abate the condition or perform the work itself and bill the owner as a special assessment.