Montebello, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Unsafe/abandoned buildings
- declared public nuisances, § 8.16.010(B)
- Abatement notice
- reasonable deadline, 10-day appeal right
- Imminent danger
- city manager can act without hearing first
- Civil penalty
- up to $1,000 per day
- Repeat violations (2 within 2 years)
- treble abatement costs
- Enforced by
- city manager/designee, city attorney
Summary
Montebello's nuisance code declares any structurally unsafe, fire-hazard or unsecured abandoned building a public nuisance the owner must abate. The city manager can order emergency removal or repair of an imminently dangerous building without waiting for a hearing, and every code violation carries a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars per day.
B.Structures or buildings, both permanent and temporary, or other lot improvements, which are subject to any of the following conditions:1.Are structurally or otherwise unsafe, either entirely or in part;2.Constitute a fire hazard;3.Have faulty weather protection including, but not limited to, crumbling, cracked, missing, broken, or loose exterior plaster or other siding, roofs, foundations or floors (including lack of paint or other protective finish), broken or missing windows, doors or window screens;4.A building or structure which is not completed within a reasonable time or for which the permit for such construction has expired;5.Unoccupied or abandoned buildings which have been left unlocked or otherwise open or unsecured from intrusion by persons, animals or the elements; ... Whenever the city manager or designee determines that a public nuisance is so imminently dangerous to life or property that such condition must be immediately removed, abated, repaired or isolated, the following procedures may be followed: ... every violation of a provision of this code shall be subject to a civil penalty not exceeding one thousand dollars.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.16.010(B) of the Montebello Municipal Code lists the building conditions that make a structure a public nuisance: being structurally or otherwise unsafe in whole or part, constituting a fire hazard, having faulty weather protection such as crumbling plaster, broken windows or missing roofing, sitting incomplete past a reasonable time or an expired construction permit, or being an unoccupied or abandoned building left unlocked or otherwise open to intrusion by people, animals or the elements. Once the city manager or a designee determines a nuisance exists, Section 8.16.040 requires a written notice to abate giving the owner a reasonable deadline, with a right to request a hearing within ten days before enforcement.
Where a public nuisance is so imminently dangerous to life or property that it cannot wait, Section 8.16.080 lets the city manager or designee skip straight to removing, repairing or isolating the condition using city forces or a contractor, after attempting to contact the owner, and still gives the owner a post-abatement hearing right. The city recovers every dollar it spends, including staff time, inspections, printing, recordings and attorney's fees, under Section 8.16.120, and unpaid abatement costs become a lien against the property and a personal debt of the owner under Sections 8.16.150 and 8.16.170.
Violations & Fines
Section 8.16.110 subjects every violation of the Montebello Municipal Code to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars per day the violation continues. Occupants who refuse to vacate a condemned structure, anyone who removes a posted notice without authorization, or anyone who obstructs a city inspection or abatement under Section 8.16.180 is guilty of a misdemeanor. A second civil or criminal finding against the same owner within two years can bring treble abatement costs under Section 8.16.170(B).
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building a public nuisance in Montebello?
Can the city tear down or fix a dangerous building without a hearing first?
How much can the city fine a property owner for an unabated nuisance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montebello
California rules heatmap·Compare Montebello to another location·View the California property maintenance overview
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