Rockland County, NY Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Section 23-10A lists nine conditions that make a structure a 'dangerous building,' including walls that lean so a plumb line falls outside the middle third of the base, 33% or more deterioration of a supporting member (or 50% of a nonsupporting wall), overloaded floors or roofs, fire or wind damage endangering occupants, and inadequate means of egress. Any building meeting those tests is declared a public nuisance that must be repaired, vacated or demolished (§ 23-10B), and the Director follows those same three options as standards for the order (§ 23-10C).

The Director can inspect assembly buildings, hotels, houses of worship and multiple dwellings semiannually, or inspect on a qualifying complaint or fire department report (§ 23-10D(1)-(3)), then serves a written 'notice of unsafe structure' on the owner, occupant, lessee, mortgagee and any other interested party found in the County Clerk's land records, and posts a warning notice on the building itself (§ 23-10D(4)-(6)). The recipient can request a hearing within 10 days, held under the Director's adopted procedures, with a hearing officer making findings of fact that the Director then turns into a binding order (§ 23-10E, F).

If the owner fails to comply or start repairs within 10 days of the order, the County can do the work itself and charge the cost against the land as a municipal lien, added to the tax roll, or recovered in a lawsuit (§ 23-10F(6)). In an emergency posing immediate danger to life, the County Executive can order immediate repair, vacation or demolition (§ 23-10G). This power exists only inside Spring Valley under the state's temporary code-enforcement mandate and sunsets under § 23-22B no later than December 31, 2026.