Tarrant County, TX Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Texas Local Government Code Chapter 343 authorizes counties to abate certain public health nuisances in designated unincorporated areas. Tarrant County has adopted these provisions and enforces them through the Tarrant County Public Health Environmental Health Division and Code Compliance programs. Conditions that can be declared nuisances include keeping rubbish, brush, or weeds that are taller than 12 inches over a substantial part of a lot, maintaining stagnant water on the premises, storing inoperative motor vehicles or rusted appliances in public view, allowing carcasses of animals to remain, and conditions that breed mosquitoes, rats, or other vectors. Residential structures that are dilapidated to the point of being unfit for habitation may be addressed under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 214, which authorizes municipalities and qualifying counties to require repair, removal, or demolition. The enforcement process typically begins with a complaint and inspection, followed by written notice to the owner describing the violation and providing at least 30 days to abate. If the owner does not comply, the county may abate the nuisance directly and assess the costs as a lien against the property. Repeat or serious violations can lead to criminal charges (Class C misdemeanor) and court orders. HOA-enforced blight cases often proceed faster through deed restriction litigation under Texas Property Code Chapter 202.