Washington County, MD Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Condemnation power
- Code Official may condemn, vacate, placard structure
- Unsafe test
- Fire risk or structural collapse danger
- Unfit test
- Unsanitary, infested, or lacks utilities
- Reoccupancy
- Barred until Code Official approves
- Closure cost
- Recovered via lien on property
- Penalty
- Up to $500/day fine or 90 days jail
- Appeal window
- 15 days to Building Board of Appeals
Summary
Washington County's Code Official may condemn, placard, or order the vacating of any structure found unsafe or unfit for human occupancy under the Livability Code. The county can secure the property with fencing, place a lien for closure costs, and bar reoccupancy until it approves repairs.
(b) Condemnation of a structure. (1) If the Code Official determines that a structure is unsafe or unfit for human occupancy or use as provided under subsection (d) of this section, the Code Official may: (i) Condemn the structure; (ii) Order the structure to be vacated; (iii) Placard the structure; and (iv) Take other security measures to prevent entry onto the property, including erecting a fence on the property on which the structure is located. (2) If a structure has been condemned, the structure may not be re-occupied without the approval of the Code Official.
Full Breakdown
Article 2 of the Livability Code lets the Permits and Inspections Department's Code Official condemn a structure, order it vacated, placard it, or erect a fence and take other security measures to keep people out, once the Code Official determines the structure is unsafe or unfit for human occupancy under § 2-203(d) (§ 2-203(b)(1)). A structure is unsafe if it is dangerous to life, health, property, or safety because it lacks minimum fire protection or is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, structurally unsound, or of such faulty construction or unstable foundation that it is likely to partially or completely collapse (§ 2-203(d)(1)).
A structure is unfit for human occupancy if it is unsafe, unsanitary, infested, contaminated, or lacks required ventilation, illumination, sanitary facilities, or heating (§ 2-203(d)(2)). Once condemned, a structure may not be reoccupied without the Code Official's approval (§ 2-203(b)(2)), and unsafe equipment, such as boilers, heating equipment, or wiring, can likewise be condemned, placarded, and taken out of service (§ 2-203(c)). Before condemning, the Code Official must serve written notice on the property owner and tenant by hand delivery, certified mail, or, if mail is undeliverable, by posting on the structure (§ 2-202(a)-(b)).
If an owner fails to close or vacate a condemned premises within the ordered time, the county may close it directly or by contract and place a lien against the property to recover the cost (§ 2-203(e)). The Code's enforcement provisions do not replace any other county remedy for removing or demolishing a structure determined dangerous, unsafe, or unsanitary (§ 1-103(i)).
Violations & Fines
A property owner who fails to correct a condemned or notice-cited condition is guilty of a misdemeanor under § 2-215, punishable by a fine of up to $500 per day the violation continues, up to 90 days imprisonment, or both. Defacing or removing a condemnation placard without the Code Official's approval is also prohibited (§ 2-202(d)). The owner may appeal a condemnation to the Building Board of Appeals within 15 days of a certified notice (§ 3-301).
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a structure 'unsafe' under Washington County's Livability Code?
Can I move back into a condemned house once I fix it?
What if the owner won't vacate a condemned building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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