Saint Paul, MN Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Saint Paul Legislative Code Ch. 45
- Appeal window
- 7 days or abatement deadline
- Substantial abatement trigger
- Cost over $5,000 or demolition
- Cost recovery
- Special assessment on property taxes
- Enforcement officer
- DSI director or police chief
Summary
A building that's in danger of collapse, has loose exterior parts, or carries blistered and rotting siding is a 'nuisance' under Saint Paul's Legislative Code, and the city's enforcement officer can order it fixed, vacated, or torn down. Owners who miss the abatement deadline see the city do the work and assess the full cost against the property as a special charge on their tax bill.
(1)Dangerous structure. A structure which is potentially hazardous to persons or property including, but not limited to:a.A structure which is in danger of partial or complete collapse; orb.A structure with any exterior parts which are loose or in danger of falling; orc.A structure with any parts such as floors, porches, railings, stairs, ramps, balconies or roofs which are accessible and which are either collapsed, in danger of collapsing, or unable to support the weight of normally imposed loads. ... (a)The city is authorized to abate nuisances in accordance with the procedures set forth in sections 45.10, 45.11 and 45.12. All abatement costs incurred shall be charged against the property as a special assessment to be collected in the manner provided for in the City Charter, Chapter 14.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 133 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
blistered, cracked, flaked, scaled or chalked away' with exposed, unprotected wood as a blighting-influence nuisance. 10: a written order describes the nuisance and the required fix, sets a deadline, and warns that if the owner neither acts nor appeals to the city clerk within seven days (or the abatement deadline, whichever comes first), the city will do the work itself and assess the cost, including investigation, title searches, service, filing and attorney's fees, against the property as a special assessment collected like property taxes. 11's 'substantial abatement procedure' takes over instead: DSI posts a 'nuisance building' placard on the structure, notifies the heritage preservation commission if it sits in a historic district, and the full city council must hold a public hearing before ordering demolition or other abatement. 12 lets the city skip straight to emergency abatement.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring an abatement order doesn't just risk demolition: unpaid abatement costs become a lien collected as a special assessment on the property tax bill, and § 45.11.1 makes clear that abatement doesn't preclude separate civil or criminal enforcement. Defacing or removing a posted nuisance-building placard is itself a violation, and a structure ordered vacated as unsafe cannot be reoccupied until the enforcement officer or the legislative hearing officer signs off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building a 'dangerous structure' under Saint Paul's nuisance code?
Who decides my building is a nuisance and orders repairs?
Can I appeal a nuisance abatement order before the city acts?
What happens if fixing the nuisance costs more than $5,000?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Saint Paul
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