National City, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997 Edition
- Nuisance declaration
- Section 202, rewritten by Section 15.10.015
- Non-residential abatement
- Repair, rehabilitation, demolition or removal under Section 401
- Residential abatement
- Health and Safety Code Section 17980 procedures
- Securing openings
- One-half inch plywood minimum, ¼ inch by two inch lag screws
- Lag screw spacing
- Each corner and 24 inches on center
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Fine up to one thousand dollars or six months, or both
Summary
National City adopts the 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings in Chapter 15.10, and Section 202 declares each building the building official finds dangerous after inspection to be a public nuisance. Non-residential buildings are abated under Section 401 of that code, residential buildings under Health and Safety Code Section 17980, and violations are misdemeanors.
202. Abatement of Dangerous Buildings. All non-residential buildings or portions thereof which are determined after inspection by the building official to be dangerous as defined in this code are hereby declared to be public nuisances and shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition or removal in accordance with the procedures specified in Section 401 of this code. ... All residential building or portions thereof which are determined after inspection by the building official to be dangerous as defined in this code are hereby declared to be public nuisances and shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal in accordance with the procedures specified in Health and Safety Code Section 17980 and the California Code of Regulations, Title 25, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1-State Housing Law Regulations.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 15.10 of the National City Municipal Code adopts the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 1997 Edition, to regulate hazards to life and property from substandard housing conditions. Section 15.10.015 rewrites Section 202 so that every building or portion of a building the building official determines after inspection to be dangerous is declared a public nuisance. Non-residential buildings are abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition or removal under the procedures in Section 401 of the Uniform Code. Residential buildings are abated by the same four remedies under Health and Safety Code Section 17980 and the state housing regulations in Title 25 of the California Code of Regulations. The definition of dangerous sits in the adopted Uniform Code, not in the local chapter.
Section 15.10.010 lets the Building Official and authorized representatives request entry as specified in Chapter 1.12 when there is reasonable cause to believe a building or premises is unsafe, dangerous or hazardous.
Section 15.10.030 sets the standard for securing a vacant building. All exterior openings must be completely covered with not less than one-half inch plywood or similar material approved by the Director of Building and Safety, attached with not less than ¼ inch by two inch lag screws in each corner and at 24 inches on center around the perimeter of the opening. When conventional lag screws have failed to restrict entry by unauthorized individuals, the Director can require tamper-proof lag screws.
Appeals run through Chapter 15.04. Section 15.10.035 lets a person entitled to service appeal from a notice and order by filing an appeal under Chapter 15.04, the Advisory and Appeals Board reviews the items listed there (Section 15.10.025), and Section 15.04.010 makes the city council final on appeals of a notice to abate a public nuisance. Under Section 15.10.040, failing to file an appeal in accordance with Section 15.04.060 waives the right to an administrative hearing on the notice and order. Section 15.08.050 also lets the city deny a building permit on property with an unsafe or substandard building.
Violations & Fines
Section 15.10.020 makes a violation of the dangerous buildings code a misdemeanor with the penalties in Chapter 1.20: a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both, with each day a separate offense under Section 1.20.010(B). Section 1.20.030 lets the city abate a nuisance judicially and make the abatement expense a special assessment or lien against the property and a personal obligation of the owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides a building in National City is dangerous?
How must a vacant dangerous building be secured?
How do I appeal a notice and order?
What are the penalties for ignoring an abatement order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in National City
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