Kent, WA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Kent's Property Maintenance Code in Kent City Code Chapter 8.01 adopts the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) with local amendments and gives Code Enforcement broad authority to address blight and nuisance conditions. Violations include accumulation of junk, trash, debris, inoperable vehicles, tires, and scrap metal on the property; broken windows and doors left unrepaired; peeling or graffiti-covered exterior walls; sagging or missing roof coverings; stagnant water that attracts mosquitoes; rat and rodent harborage; and vegetation overgrowth that blocks sight lines or encroaches on sidewalks. Dangerous buildings declared unsafe under KCC 14.08 must be boarded and secured within 30 days or demolished. Graffiti must be removed or covered within 10 days of notice under KCC 8.01.070. The code enforcement process starts with a warning letter or voluntary compliance agreement, escalates to a Notice and Order with civil penalties of 100 to 500 dollars per day, and can lead to abatement by the city with costs assessed as a lien on the property under KCC 1.04. Chronic nuisance properties may be declared under RCW 7.43 for persistent criminal activity. Report blighted properties to Kent Code Enforcement at 253-856-5270 or through the SeeClickFix app.