Murfreesboro, TN Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- City Code Ch. 25.5, Slum Clearance
- Hearing window
- 10 to 30 days after complaint served
- Non-repair remedy
- Removal or demolition ordered
- Cost recovery
- Lien on property, 2-year redemption
Summary
Murfreesboro's public officer can order owners to repair or demolish dwellings found unfit for human habitation, then do the work and lien the property if the owner refuses.
That if, after such notice and hearing, the public officer determines that the dwelling under consideration is unfit for human habitation, such public officer shall state in writing the findings of fact in support of such determination and shall issue and cause to be served upon the owner thereof an order, (1) if the repair, alteration or improvement of the said dwelling can be made at a reasonable cost in relation to the value of the dwelling, requiring the owner, within the time specified in the order, to repair, alter, or improve such dwelling to render it fit for human habitation or to vacate and close the dwelling as a human habitation; or (2) if the repair, alteration or improvement of the said dwelling cannot be made at a reasonable cost in relation to the value of the dwelling, requiring the owner, within the time specified in the order, to remove or demolish such dwelling.
(Ord. of 06-12-69 § 1)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 18 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under the City's slum clearance chapter, the public officer investigates dwellings reported or observed to be unfit for human habitation due to dilapidation, fire hazards, or unsanitary conditions. After notice and a hearing, the officer can order repair, alteration, or vacating the dwelling, or demolition if repair costs exceed the dwelling's value. If the owner does not comply, the City may do the work itself and place a lien on the property, collectible the same way as back taxes, with a two-year redemption period.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliance lets the City repair, vacate, or demolish the dwelling and lien the property for its costs, enforceable like delinquent real estate taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides a dwelling is unfit for habitation in Murfreesboro?
Can the City demolish a condemned house without the owner's consent?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Murfreesboro
Compare Murfreesboro to another location·View the Tennessee property maintenance overview
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