Pittsburgh, PA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- PLI Department (Permits, Licenses & Inspections)
- Adopted code
- 2021 International Property Maintenance Code
- Unsafe-structure test
- Damage, decay, dilapidation, or collapse risk
- Violation penalty
- Summary offense, strict liability, per day
- Cost recovery
- Repair/demolition costs become a real-estate lien
Summary
Pittsburgh's Property Maintenance Code lets the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections condemn, placard, and order repair or demolition of any structure that is damaged, dilapidated, or unsafe under Property Maintenance Code § 111.1.1.
111.1.1 Unsafe structures. An unsafe structure is one that is found to be dangerous to the life, health, property or safety of the public or the occupants of the structure by not providing minimum safeguards to protect or warn occupants in the event of fire, or because of an actual or imminent landslide, or such structure contains unsafe equipment or is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, structurally unsafe or of such faulty construction or unstable foundation, that partial or complete collapse is possible.
Full Breakdown
Pittsburgh adopted the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code as Chapter 1004 of the City Code, then rewrote several enforcement sections in § 1004.02. Amended § 111.1.1 defines an unsafe structure as one dangerous to life, health, or safety because of fire hazards, landslide risk, unsafe equipment, or damage, decay, dilapidation, or an unstable foundation that could partially or completely collapse. The PLI code official can placard the property 'Condemned,' prohibit occupancy, and order the owner to repair, rehabilitate, or demolish it. Emergency repair or demolition costs become a lien against the real estate.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a condemnation notice is a summary offense and a strict-liability violation; each day it continues after notice is a separate offense, and repair or demolition costs become a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building 'unsafe' under Pittsburgh's code?
Who enforces condemnation and demolition orders in Pittsburgh?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pittsburgh
Compare Pittsburgh to another location·View the Pennsylvania property maintenance overview
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