Sandoval County, NM Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Exterior paint/stucco threshold
- Peeling over 30% is blight
- Structures must be
- Safe, structurally sound
- Abatement notice period
- Up to 15 days
- Repeat violation (12 mo.)
- Direct Magistrate Court citation
- Governing section
- CZO § 15(1)
- Enforcement
- County Zoning Officer
Summary
Sandoval County requires every building's exterior to stay free of deterioration and blight, capping peeling or flaking paint and stucco at 30% of the exterior before it counts as a violation. Section 15(1) also requires structures to remain safe and structurally sound.
A.Findings and Purpose.1.It is the purpose of this Section to promote the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the county by protecting property from blighting and deteriorating conditions by establishing minimum standards governing the maintenance, appearance and conditions of all residential and non-residential premises....C.Building and Structure Exteriors.1.All exposed exterior surfaces shall be maintained so as to be free of deterioration that is a threat to health and safety, or shall not otherwise present a deteriorated or blighted appearance. Examples of the deterioration and blight include, but are not limited to:a.Stucco or paint that is deteriorated, indicated by peeling, flaking, cracked, blistering or mildew, resulting in exposed, bare unprotected surfaces over more than 30% of the exterior.b.Window screening that is not maintained in good condition.2.All structures on premises shall be safe, structurally sound and shall be maintained so that they do not constitute a hazard, blight or condition of disrepair.
Full Breakdown
Section 15(1) of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance is the county's Health and Sanitation article, adopted to protect property from blighting and deteriorating conditions by setting minimum maintenance, appearance and condition standards for all residential and non-residential premises. 1 defines what counts as blight on a building exterior: surfaces must stay free of deterioration that threatens health and safety or otherwise looks deteriorated or blighted, with stucco or paint that is peeling, flaking, cracked, blistering or mildewed over more than 30% of the exterior, or unmaintained window screening, listed as specific examples.
2 goes further, requiring every structure on a premises to remain safe and structurally sound, free of hazard, blight or disrepair, with leaning fences, fences missing numerous slats or blocks, graffiti, peeling paint and rotting or damaged materials named as disqualifying conditions. The article separately addresses inoperable and abandoned vehicles, dumping, and litter accumulation as related nuisances. F: the Zoning Officer investigates complaints, and a notice of violation gives the responsible party up to 15 days to abate, shorter than the 30-day window used for standard zoning violations elsewhere in the Ordinance. A second notice within a 12-month period skips straight to a Magistrate Court citation rather than another warning.
Violations & Fines
A property owner who fails to abate blight after a 15-day notice of violation faces a citation to Magistrate Court under Section 15(1).F.4, and a second offense within 12 months bypasses the warning notice entirely. If the violation still is not corrected, the county may remove or mitigate it at the responsible party's expense and pursue a lien under NMSA § 3-36-1 et seq. to recover the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as blight on my house exterior in Sandoval County?
How long do I have to fix a blight violation?
What happens on a second blight violation within a year?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandoval County
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