Phoenix, AZ Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Vacant/unsecured trigger
- 48+ hours, twice in 12 months
- Structural damage trigger
- 33%+ supporting member loss
- Wall lean trigger
- Plumb line exits middle third of base
- First civil sanction
- $100 to $2,500
- Repeat violation (2nd)
- At least $250
Summary
Phoenix can order demolition or abatement of any building, structure, or excavation that is structurally unsafe, vacant and unsecured, or pest-infested.
All buildings, structures and excavations are to be maintained so as not to pose a hazard. The maintenance of a building, structure or excavation that meets any of the following is a nuisance and constitutes a violation of this ordinance, and subjects the building, structure or excavation to demolition or other abatement measures upon expiration of required notice:
1. The building’s or structure’s interior walls or other vertical structural members list, lean or buckle to such an extent that a plumb line passing through the center of gravity falls outside of the middle third of its base.
2. The building or structure, exclusive of the foundation, has thirty-three percent or more damage or deterioration to the supporting member or members or structural assembly, or fifty percent damage or deterioration to the nonsupporting enclosing or outside walls or covering.
3. The building or structure is infested by rodents, insects or other noxious pests, rendering it uninhabitable.
4. The building, structure or excavation exhibits conditions that present actual hazards or dangers.
5. The building or structure has been vacant and unsecured for more than forty-eight hours on more than one occasion during a twelve-month period.
6. The excavation has been unsecured for more than forty-eight hours on more than one occasion during a twelve-month period.
7. The building, structure or excavation or their contents represents an imminent hazard.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 39-8, a building, structure, or excavation is a declared nuisance if its walls lean past a third of their base, it has lost a third or more of its supporting structure, it's infested by rodents or insects to the point of being uninhabitable, or it has sat vacant and unsecured for more than 48 hours on more than one occasion in a 12-month period. Once declared, the City Manager or designee can pursue demolition or other abatement after required notice expires. An owner actively repairing, selling, or leasing the property in good faith can seek an exemption if it demonstrably poses no health or safety threat.
Violations & Fines
Civil sanction of $100-$2,500 per violation, escalating on repeat offenses within 36 months; a criminal violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the City may abate and lien the property for costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Phoenix demolish my building without a court order?
Can I avoid a nuisance declaration if I'm actively fixing the property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Phoenix
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How other cities in Maricopa County handle property blight.