Lewisville, TX Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

The building official who believes a structure is substandard must first prepare a written report describing the property, the violations observed, and a recommendation on whether it should be vacated, repaired, removed, or demolished, then schedule a City Council public hearing. Written notice goes to the occupant and every known owner, lienholder, and mortgagee at least ten days before the hearing, by personal delivery or certified mail with a duplicate by regular mail, and is also posted on the structure's front door and filed in the county real property records if an owner cannot be identified.

Section 4-246 lists 17 disqualifying conditions that can support a substandard finding, including fire, flood, or storm damage threatening collapse, foundation or supporting members 25 percent or more deteriorated, walls or ceilings 50 percent or more damaged, inadequate or blocked fire egress, and mold contamination whose remediation cost would exceed 50 percent of the structure's appraised value. If the Council finds the structure substandard, it orders the owner within 30 days to secure it from entry or to repair, remove, or demolish it, unless the owner proves at the hearing that the work cannot reasonably be finished that fast; the Council can extend the deadline, but not past 90 days unless the owner submits a detailed work plan and proves the extra time is necessary.

If the owner does not act, the city may vacate, secure, repair, remove, or demolish the structure itself, bill the owner, and place a lien on the property under § 4-250 that is subordinate only to tax liens and bears ten percent annual interest. 0012. When a structure poses a clear and imminent danger to life, the building official or fire marshal, with the director of development services' written concurrence, can order emergency demolition without the usual hearing, to be carried out within 96 hours.