Hanford, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

20, adopted to keep foreclosure-related vacancies from blighting Hanford neighborhoods, applies once a deed of trust on residential property is in default. Before recording a notice of default, the beneficiary or trustee must inspect the property; if it is vacant or shows "evidence of vacancy", defined broadly to include overgrown or dead vegetation, piled newspapers or mail, disconnected utilities, or missing window coverings, the property is deemed abandoned and must be registered with code enforcement within 10 days, with an annual fee set by council resolution due each January 1 through 31.

050 sets the substantive maintenance standard: the property must be kept free of weeds, dry brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris, building materials, and discarded personal items such as furniture or appliances that suggest abandonment; kept free of graffiti and tagging by removal or repainting with matching exterior-grade paint; and any yard visible from the public right-of-way must be landscaped with grass, groundcover, or similar plantings and kept watered, mowed, and trimmed. Yards not visible from the street must still be kept free of dry, overgrown vegetation or debris that creates a fire or health hazard, and pools or spas must be kept clear and functional or drained.

060 layers on security duties: doors, windows, and gates must be locked and broken windows reglazed, and an out-of-area owner must post a weatherproof 18-by-24-inch sign, legible from 45 feet, with a 24-hour local contact number and arrange at least monthly inspections by a local property manager. 3.