Riverside County, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Riverside County Ordinance No. 541 (as amended through 541.5) governs property blight in unincorporated areas. Section 2 states that no person or entity shall permit the accumulation of rubbish or other dangerous or injurious material on any real property they own or control. Section 3 defines 'rubbish' broadly to include trash, litter, garbage, junk, debris, construction or demolition materials, appliances, vehicle parts, tires, discarded mattresses, furniture, green waste, the carcass of a dead animal, and 'other dangerous, nauseous or offensive material of any kind.' Section 1 declares such accumulation a public nuisance because it is unsightly, harbors vermin, creates a fire hazard, and lowers property values. Under Section 8, an Enforcement Officer (Code Enforcement, Environmental Health, the Fire Chief, the Sheriff, or their designees) issues a written Notice of Violation and Order to Remove Rubbish ordering abatement within thirty (30) days, served by posting and certified mail. A Notice of Noncompliance may be recorded with the County Recorder. If the owner does not comply, the County may abate the nuisance, bill the owner within fifteen (15) days, and, per California Government Code Section 25845, assess unpaid abatement costs against the parcel as a lien collected with property taxes.