Oakland County, MI Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Countywide blight code
- None: set by municipality
- Common code adopted
- International Property Maintenance Code
- Grass height limit
- 8 inches (Bloomfield Twp, most others)
- Vehicle rule
- No inoperable/unregistered outside garage
- Typical first fine
- $100–$250 civil infraction
- Lien authority
- Abatement cost added to tax roll
- County body
- Oakland County Land Bank Authority
Summary
Oakland County itself does not enforce a countywide blight ordinance: that authority sits with its 62 cities, villages, and charter townships. Most large Oakland County jurisdictions (Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Troy, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Oakland Charter Township) have adopted the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) as their blight standard. The IPMC and matching local supplements require grass under 8 inches, no inoperable or unregistered vehicles outside a garage, no accumulation of junk or refuse, intact paint and siding, and structurally sound roofs, porches, and stairs. The Oakland County Land Bank Authority handles tax-foreclosed blighted parcels at the county level. Violations are municipal civil infractions starting at $100 and escalating with each occurrence; persistent neglect can lead to abatement at the owner's expense added to the tax bill.
Grass has to be kept under eight (8) inches tall, and landscaped areas maintained and free from overgrowth. Pools and pool covers must be kept clean and free of stagnant water. No inoperable or unregistered vehicles are permitted on the property, except in a garage. Exterior building issues such as missing, damaged or rotted boards, sagging roofs, blistered or peeling paint, porch steps and handrails are required to be maintained.
Full Breakdown
Bloomfield Township has adopted the IPMC by reference and uses it to manage residential and commercial property conditions affecting health, safety, and property values. Township standards require grass kept under 8 inches; landscaped areas maintained and free from overgrowth; pools and pool covers kept clean and free of stagnant water; no inoperable or unregistered vehicles outside a garage; and exterior buildings free of missing/damaged/rotted boards, sagging roofs, blistered or peeling paint, and broken porch steps or handrails. West Bloomfield requires registration of any property vacant or unoccupied more than 30 days and inspects it for blight; Pontiac's Article VIII of Chapter 22 requires re-occupancy certificates after vacancy.
Farmington Hills' Chapter 17 (Nuisance) gives the City the power to abate nuisances and assess the cost to the property tax roll. Charter Township of Oakland's Chapter 320. Property Maintenance is enforced by the Building Official, and Chapter 285 (Offenses) makes blight a municipal civil infraction. Across Oakland County, common cited conditions are tall grass/weeds, junk vehicles, broken windows, sagging porches, peeling paint, and uncovered trash piles. The Oakland County Land Bank Authority (a county-level body) acquires tax-foreclosed blighted parcels and stabilizes them through grants such as the State of Michigan Blight Elimination Program.
Violations & Fines
Each city or township sets its own penalty schedule. Typical first-offense civil infraction fines run $100–$250, rising to $500 for second offenses and $1,000 for third-and-subsequent within 12 months in Royal Oak, Troy, and Bloomfield Township. After notice and a reasonable cure period (commonly 7–30 days depending on the condition), the municipality may abate the violation, mowing the lawn, hauling junk, securing the structure, and add the cost plus an administrative fee to the property tax roll as a lien under MCL 600.2401 and the local code. Failure to register a vacant property under West Bloomfield's program is a separate civil infraction with fines starting around $250. Chronic offenders can be cited under nuisance abatement provisions allowing court-ordered receivership.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can I let my grass grow in Oakland County?
Can I keep an inoperable car in my driveway?
Who do I report blight to in Oakland County?
What happens if I ignore a blight notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oakland County
Compare Oakland County to another location·View the Michigan property maintenance overview
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