Story County, IA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- §55.07(7) dangerous building nuisance
- Board power
- Order vacate + close, §55.09
- Reopening
- Needs written Board of Health permission
- Inspection window
- 8am-5pm Mon-Fri (§55.08)
- Default penalty
- $65-$625 or up to $1,000 civil
Summary
A building that has become dangerous for further occupancy from structural, sanitary, or other defects is a public health nuisance in unincorporated Story County under Code of Ordinances §55.07(7). The county Board of Health can order occupants to vacate, set a deadline to abate the hazard, and, if that order is ignored, forcibly close the property.
7. Any building or structure in which people are housed or congregate for any purposes, which building has become dangerous for further occupancy because of structural, sanitary, or other defects. ... In such cases, the Board of Health may order the occupants to vacate premises where a nuisance exists, and determine a reasonable time to abate the nuisance violation or cause the reduction of hazards. If the order is not complied with, said Board may cause the occupants to be forcibly removed and close the premises, and said place shall not again be occupied as a dwelling or place of business without the written permission of the Board.
Full Breakdown
Section 55.07(7) names any building or structure where people are housed or congregate as a public health nuisance once it becomes dangerous for further occupancy because of structural, sanitary, or other defects, sitting alongside the chapter's other listed nuisances such as accumulations of derelict furniture, rubbish, or solid waste (§55.07(10)) and confirmed hazardous materials like lead, asbestos, mold, or radon (§55.07(11)). Before acting, the Story County Environmental Health Department can inspect the property under §55.08, gathering statements, photographs, measurements, and samples, at any time between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Monday through Friday or, with the occupant's consent, at other times, or immediately in an emergency. Once a nuisance is confirmed, §55.09 lets the Board of Health order the occupants to vacate the premises and sets a reasonable time for the owner to abate the violation or reduce the hazard. If that order is not followed, the Board may have the occupants forcibly removed and the premises closed, and the property cannot be reoccupied as a dwelling or place of business again without the Board's written permission.
This closing power sits on top of Chapter 55's general prohibition on creating or maintaining any public health nuisance (§55.05), and the process applies throughout unincorporated Story County as well as any incorporated city in the county that has not set up its own city board of health (§55.02).
Violations & Fines
Chapter 55 sets no separate fine for a dangerous-building nuisance, so noncompliance defaults to the county's standard penalty, $65 to $625 with up to 30 days in jail (§3.01), or the county infraction civil schedule of up to $750 for a first offense and $1,000 for each repeat, with every day of noncompliance a separate offense (§3.02). Reoccupying a closed building without the Board of Health's written permission is itself a further violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Story County force a dangerous building to be vacated?
Who inspects a blighted or unsafe building in unincorporated Story County?
Can I reopen a building the county closed as a nuisance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Story County
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