Louisville, KY Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- LMCO Chapter 156, § 156.805
- Enforcing agency
- Code Official, Dept. of Codes & Regulations
- Appeal deadline
- 7 days to Code Enforcement Board
- Civil penalty
- Per Appendix A penalty schedule
- Lien priority
- Above all liens except tax liens
Summary
Louisville Metro's Code Official condemns structures found unsafe, unfit for occupancy, or unlawful, orders them placarded and vacated, and can board vacant structures or destroy irreparable equipment under Chapter 156.
When a structure or part thereof is found by the Code Official to be unsafe, or when a structure or part thereof is found unfit for human occupancy or use, or is found unlawful, it shall be condemned pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and shall be placarded and vacated. If condition only involves one dwelling unit in structure; only that unit will be affected. It shall not be reoccupied without approval of the Code Official. Unsafe equipment which is determined by the Code Official to be repairable shall be placarded and immediately placed out of service. Illegal, unapproved or defective equipment which, is determined by the Code Official to be irreparable, shall be immediately confiscated and/or destroyed.
(1) Unsafe structure. An unsafe premises is one in which all or part thereof is found to be dangerous to life, health, property, or the safety of the public or its occupants by not providing minimum safeguards for protection from fire or because it contains unsafe equipment or its is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, structurally unsafe, or of such faulty construction or unstable foundation that partial or complete collapse is possible, or because of the existence of a public nuisance, as defined herein.
(2) Unsafe equipment. Unsafe equipment includes any boiler, heating equipment, cooking equipment, elevator, moving stairway, electrical wiring or device, flammable liquid containers or other equipment on the premises or
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-47: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinances passed by the Council and approved by the Mayor as of July 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Louisville Metro Code of Ordinances Chapter 156, the Code Official condemns any structure, or part of one, found unsafe, unfit for human occupancy, or unlawful, meaning it endangers life, health, or safety through fire risk, structural instability, disrepair, vermin infestation, or lack of sanitation, ventilation, or heating. Condemned structures are placarded and vacated; unsafe equipment is placarded and taken out of service, or destroyed if irreparable. Vacant, unsecured structures must be boarded, and high-risk properties, including repeat violators and those on Metro's Annual Cut List, must use clear (transparent) boarding. Owners may appeal to the Code Enforcement Board.
Violations & Fines
Owners face civil penalties under Metro's Chapter 156 penalty schedule (Appendix A), plus a Metro lien on the property covering all fines, abatement costs, and fees: senior to every lien except state, school board, and Metro taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when Louisville Metro condemns a building?
Does this rule apply to home rule cities like Jeffersontown inside Jefferson County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Louisville
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