St. Joseph County, IN Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- State law adopted
- IC 36-7-9-1 et seq. (unsafe buildings)
- Enforcement authority
- County building commissioner
- Hearing authority
- St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners
- Sealing method
- Padlocking entries, posting notice
- Sealing standard added
- Ord. No. 121-23, October 10, 2023
Summary
St. Joseph County enforces Indiana's unsafe building law through its building commissioner, who can padlock and post an unsafe structure as sealed while the county board of commissioners hears any dispute over the order.
§ 151.66. The St. Joseph County building department shall be responsible for the administration of this subchapter and the provisions of IC 36-7-9-1 et seq., adopted hereby. ... § 151.67. For purposes of this subchapter and IC 36-7-9-1 et seq., adopted hereby, the phrase enforcement authority shall mean the county building commissioner. ... § 151.68. For purposes of this subchapter, and IC 36-7-9-1 et seq., adopted hereby, the phrase, hearing authority shall mean the board of county commissioners. ... § 151.70. Sealing a building or structure means, for purposes of an order issued by the enforcement authority under this subchapter and IC 36-7-9 et seq., padlocking the entries to the building or structure and posting the building or structure with a notice that forbids entry to the building or structure and securing all other entry points to the building or structure from entry as prescribed by the enforcement authority.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
St. 65. 68. 69. 70 defines exactly what that means: padlocking every entry, posting a notice that forbids entry, and securing every other opening the enforcement authority identifies, so the building cannot be entered until it is repaired or demolished. This sealing mechanism, added by Ord. No. 121-23 in October 2023, gives the county a way to immediately secure a vacant or dangerous structure while the broader unsafe-building process under IC 36-7-9, including notice, hearing, and repair-or-demolition orders, plays out before the board of commissioners.
Violations & Fines
Entering, occupying, or removing the padlock or postings from a building the enforcement authority has sealed under § 151.70 defeats the purpose of an unsafe-building order issued under IC 36-7-9 and § 151.66, and exposes the property owner to the state statute's enforcement remedies, including the county's authority to proceed to repair or demolition if the owner does not correct the unsafe condition. Owners and other holders of a substantial property interest under § 151.69 are entitled to notice and a hearing before the board of commissioners, the hearing authority under § 151.68, before the county finalizes an order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who decides whether a building in St. Joseph County is unsafe?
What does it mean if the county "seals" my building?
Can I appeal a sealing order from the building commissioner?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Joseph County
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