Los Angeles, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger period
- 30 consecutive calendar days of vacancy
- Daily penalty
- $1,000 per structure per day
- Annual cap
- $100,000 per property per calendar year
- Investigation fee (unpermitted work)
- Double the normal permit fee, minimum $400
- Enforcement
- Strict liability; no intent required
Summary
Owners of vacant, unsecured buildings must clean, fence, barricade, and post the property or face penalties up to $1,000 per day.
SEC. 98.0706. DUTY TO CLEAN, FENCE AND BARRICADE.
(a) It is unlawful for the Responsible Person to fail to remove any waste, rubbish, debris, flammable, combustible, or hazardous materials from the interior of the Vacant Structure.
(b) It is unlawful for the Responsible Person to fail to remove any waste, rubbish, debris, excessive vegetation, inoperable vehicles, trailers, appliances, and any other similar materials from the yards surrounding the Vacant Structure.
(c) It is unlawful for the Responsible Person to fail to lock, barricade or secure all doors, windows, damaged walls, roofs, foundations and other openings of the Vacant Structure.
(d) It is unlawful for the Responsible Person to fail to fence the entire lot containing the Vacant Structure.
(e) It is unlawful for the Responsible Person to fail to post the property containing the Vacant Structure with signs stating "THIS PROPERTY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC" SEC. 98.0716. Any Responsible Person in charge of a structure which meets the definition of a Vacant Structure as provided in this division for 30 consecutive calendar days may be liable for an administrative penalty in the amount of $1000 per structure per day, not to exceed $100,000 per property per calendar year.
Full Breakdown
LAMC Division 7 (§§ 98.0701–98.0721) declares vacant, unsecured or barricaded structures to be public nuisances. The responsible person (owner or person in charge) must remove waste, rubbish, excessive vegetation, and inoperable vehicles; lock or barricade all openings; fence the entire lot; and post 'THIS PROPERTY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC' signs. After a structure has been vacant for 30 consecutive days without an approved Statement of Intent or active building permit, penalties of $1,000 per structure per day apply, capped at $100,000 per property per calendar year. The city may abate the nuisance at the owner's expense if the responsible person fails to comply.
Violations & Fines
Violations are strict-liability misdemeanors (LAMC § 98.0704). Administrative penalty: $1,000/structure/day after 30 consecutive days of vacancy, not to exceed $100,000/property/calendar year (LAMC § 98.0716). City may seek injunctive relief in Superior Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the $1,000/day penalty apply immediately once a building becomes vacant?
What must an owner do to avoid penalties on a vacant building?
Can the city clean up and fence the property itself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles to another location·View the California property maintenance overview
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Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle property blight.