Mobile, AL Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governs
- City Code §§ 52-24, 52-25
- Declares dangerous buildings
- public nuisances
- Notice period to owner
- at least 45 days
- Repair standard
- 1 major defect, 2 or fewer factors
- Demolition standard
- 2+ major defects, 3+ factors
- Appeal deadline to circuit court
- 10 days
- Unpaid cost becomes
- lien on the property
Summary
Mobile can force the repair, securing, demolition or vacation of any building the code official finds dangerous and unsafe, from a collapsing roof to a structure with disconnected utilities near blight. Article II of Chapter 52 declares any such building a public nuisance and puts the whole repair-or-demolish process, plus the cost of it, on the property owner.
Sec. 52-24. - Dangerous and unsafe buildings defined. Properties containing any building, structure, part of building, part of a structure, party wall, or foundation which has any of the following defects shall be deemed dangerous and unsafe: ... Those properties where a building or structure, used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes, because of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, decay, damage, faulty construction or arrangement, inadequate light, ventilation, mechanical or plumbing system, or otherwise, is determined by the code official to be unsanitary, unfit for human habitation or in such a condition that is likely to cause sickness or disease... Sec. 52-25. - Dangerous and unsafe buildings or structures constitute nuisances. All dangerous and unsafe buildings or structures are hereby declared to be public nuisances, and shall be repaired, secured, demolished and/or vacated as provided by this article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 52, Article II sets out Mobile's dangerous and unsafe building process. Section 52-24 defines a dangerous and unsafe building through eleven categories of defects, ranging from noncompliant exits and warped walking surfaces to fire, flood or vandalism damage, faulty construction, and dwellings so poorly maintained the code official finds them unsanitary, unfit for human habitation or likely to cause sickness. Section 52-25 then declares any building meeting those defects a public nuisance that must be repaired, secured, demolished and/or vacated.
Section 52-26 sets the standard the code official uses to choose between repair and demolition: a building with only one serious structural defect (roof damage, leaning walls, or a compromised foundation) and no more than two secondary factors like broken windows, tax delinquency or disconnected utilities gets ordered repaired; two or more structural defects plus more than two secondary factors gets ordered demolished. Before either happens, Section 52-27 requires written notice to the owner, mortgagees and lienholders by certified mail, posting at the building and recording with the probate judge, giving at least 45 days to repair or demolish, or submit a work plan. Section 52-28 then requires a city council hearing, and an owner aggrieved by the council's decision has 10 days to appeal to circuit court. If the city ends up doing the work itself, Sections 52-29 and 52-30 turn the cost into a lien on the property, superior to every lien except tax liens.
Violations & Fines
There's no criminal fine here; the consequence is the city stepping in. If an owner ignores the repair-or-demolish notice under Section 52-27, the city council can, after a hearing, order the work done at city expense and assess the full cost as a lien on the property under Sections 52-28 through 52-30, a lien that outranks every claim except unpaid taxes and continues until paid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building 'dangerous and unsafe' under Mobile's code?
Does Mobile always demolish a dangerous building?
How much notice does an owner get before the city acts?
Can a property owner appeal an order to repair or demolish?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Mobile
Compare Mobile to another location·View the Alabama property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.