Rockville, MD Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Declared
- Public nuisance, § 5-47
- Compliance window
- Up to 60 days
- Enforcer
- Chief of Inspection Services Division
- Nonpayment remedy
- Municipal lien on property
- Emergencies
- Immediate City-ordered repair/demolition
Summary
Rockville declares any building meeting its dangerous-building criteria, structural failure, fire damage, unsafe egress, unfit-for-habitation conditions, a public nuisance the City can order repaired, vacated, or demolished.
All buildings or structures which may have any or all of the following defects shall be deemed dangerous buildings: ...(5)Those which have become or are so dilapidated, decayed, unsafe, unsanitary or which so utterly fail to provide the amenities essential to decent living that they are unfit for human habitation, or are likely to cause sickness or disease... Sec. 5-47. - Nuisance declared. All dangerous buildings are hereby declared to be public nuisances, and shall be repaired, vacated or demolished as hereinbefore and hereinafter provided.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 5-46 lists ten defect categories that make a structure a 'dangerous building': leaning walls, a third or more structural deterioration, overloaded floors, fire or wind damage, unsanitary or unfit-for-habitation conditions, inadequate light/air/sanitation, blocked egress, loose falling parts, or an underlying code violation. § 5-47 then declares every such building a public nuisance that must be repaired, vacated, or demolished. The Chief of Inspection Services Division investigates and issues notice giving up to 60 days to comply; if the owner doesn't act, the City Manager can hold a hearing, order the work done, and place the cost as a lien against the property. Emergency cases skip the hearing and go straight to City-ordered repair or demolition.
Violations & Fines
Failing to repair, vacate, or demolish a building after notice under § 5-49 is a separate offense for each day of noncompliance, and the City may perform the work itself and lien the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building 'dangerous' under Rockville code?
What happens if an owner ignores a dangerous-building notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rockville
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