Rohnert Park, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- RPMC § 1.23.030(D)(2)
- Also reaches
- Peeling paint, broken windows, unfinished construction, (D)(1),(3),(4)
- Correction period
- At least 15 calendar days, § 1.24.040(A)
- First-offense fine
- Up to $130, § 1.16.010(F)
- Repeat commercial fine
- Up to $2,500 within 2 years
- Summary abatement
- For imminent danger, § 1.25.160
Summary
Rohnert Park's nuisance code makes it unlawful to keep a building or property in a damaged, unsafe, dilapidated or unsanitary condition. Section 1.23.030(D)(2) lists the specific conditions, blight, decay, disrepair, unfitness for habitation, that turn ordinary deferred maintenance into a code violation the city can cite and abate.
It shall be unlawful and declared a public nuisance for any responsible party to maintain property in such a manner that allows any of the following conditions to exist thereon, which are deemed to be a public nuisance: ... D.Maintenance of property that is so out of harmony or conformity with the maintenance standards of adjacent properties, or in such condition of deterioration or disrepair that it causes visual blight, including, but not limited to: ... 2.Any building(s), structure(s) or property that are damaged, hazardous, broken, warped, dry rotted, blighted, infested, unsightly, unmaintained, decayed, defective, deteriorated, unsafe, dilapidated, in a state of disrepair, unsanitary, unfit for human habitation, in a condition that is likely to cause sickness or disease or likely to cause injury to the health, safety or general welfare of those living, working, accessing or occupying within.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
030. Subsection D targets maintenance "so out of harmony or conformity with the maintenance standards of adjacent properties" that it causes visual blight, and paragraph (D)(2) spells out what that looks like: buildings or structures that are damaged, hazardous, broken, warped, dry rotted, blighted, infested, unsightly, decayed, deteriorated, unsafe, dilapidated, unsanitary or unfit for human habitation. The same subsection separately reaches unpainted or peeling exteriors, missing doors and broken windows, and structures left in a "persistent state of partial construction" for more than seven days without visible progress.
040 has authority to inspect the property, photograph conditions and issue an administrative citation. 040(A). 160 when the condition is an imminent danger. 010(F) apply: $130 for a first offense, $700 for a second within twelve months, $1,300 for further repeats, and $2,500 for a repeat commercial violation involving unremoved refuse or unauthorized property use within two years.
Violations & Fines
Blight violations run through the same two-track system as other nuisances: administrative citation under Chapter 1.24 or formal abatement under Chapter 1.25, with summary abatement available for imminent hazards under Section 1.25.160. Fines escalate from $130 to $700 to $1,300 for repeat violations of the same provision within a year, and the city attorney can also sue for injunctive relief and recover abatement costs, including attorney's fees, under Section 1.16.020.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rohnert Park
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