Longview, TX Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Civil penalty
- up to $1,000/day per violation
- Enforcement body
- Civil Municipal Court (Chapter 28)
- City lien
- for abatement costs, subordinate to tax liens
- Governing provisions
- Chapter 19, Art. III, Secs. 19-49–19-56
Summary
Longview declares buildings that endanger health, safety, or welfare public nuisances, subject to court-ordered vacation, repair, securing, or demolition under Chapter 19's dangerous-building provisions.
All dangerous buildings or structures which shall constitute a menace to the health, morals, safety or general welfare of their occupants or of the general public are declared to be public nuisances and shall be ordered to be vacated, removed, repaired, secured, or demolished as hereinafter provided.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: June 2026: This code is current through Ordinances 4635 passed 06.25.26).
Full Breakdown
The city's Civil Municipal Court can order any building meeting the code's "dangerous building" definition, structural failure risk, fire hazard, unsafe wiring, or conditions unfit for human habitation, vacated, repaired, secured, or demolished. Owners get notice and a hearing before the court rules. If an owner ignores the order, the court can assess a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day per violation, and the city may do the work itself and file a lien against the property to recover its costs, subordinate only to tax liens and prior mortgages.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a court order to repair or demolish a dangerous building risks a civil penalty up to $1,000 per day, plus a city lien for abatement costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a "dangerous building" in Longview?
What happens if I don't fix a condemned building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Longview
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Longview to another location·View the Texas property maintenance overview
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