Summit County, OH Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sec. 1343.03 Right of Condemnation
- Open, unused building
- Automatic fire hazard (Sec. 1343.03(c))
- Response deadline
- 48 hours to state intent (Sec. 1343.06)
- Appeal window
- 30 days to Board of Appeals (Sec. 1343.07)
- Penalty
- 1st-degree misdemeanor, up to $500 / 6 months
- Cost recovery
- Owner billed within 30 days (Sec. 1343.13)
Summary
When the Building Official finds a building or structure unsafe, unsanitary or a fire hazard, Summit County can issue a written Condemnation Order requiring repair or demolition within a set deadline. An open, unused and uninhabitable building is automatically deemed a fire hazard unless it is permanently closed and protected, and the owner has just 48 hours to say whether they will comply.
When a building or structure is or hereafter becomes unsafe, unsanitary or deficient in adequate exit facilities, or which is or constitutes a fire hazard, or is or becomes, in any way, dangerous to human life or the public welfare, or which, by reason of illegal or improper use, occupancy or maintenance, is or becomes unsafe, it may be ordered condemned by the Building Official by a written order hereinafter referred to as a "Condemnation Order". Such Condemnation Order shall be issued only after proper inspection and evaluation by the Building Official.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 01 requires the Building Official to examine every building reported or observed as damaged, dangerous, structurally unsafe or in violation of the Building Code, including health or fire hazards, and to keep a written record of that examination. Sec. 03(a) lets the Building Official condemn, by written Condemnation Order, any building that is unsafe, unsanitary, deficient in exit facilities, a fire hazard, or otherwise dangerous to human life or public welfare, including one made unsafe through illegal or improper use, occupancy or maintenance, after an inspection and evaluation.
Sec. 03(c) conclusively deems an open, uninhabitable or unused building a fire hazard unless it is permanently closed and protected in a manner the Building Official approves. Sec. 03(d) hands responsibility for the actual condemnation proceedings to the city, village or township where the building sits, under local zoning ordinances and Ohio Revised Code Chapters 5 and 7. Sec. 04 requires the order to describe the repairs or demolition required and set a compliance deadline, and Sec. 06 gives the recipient only 48 hours to notify the Building Official in writing whether they intend to comply.
Sec. 07 allows an appeal to the Board of Appeals within 30 days of service, though it does not stay emergency action. Sec. 11 lets the Building Official order occupants to vacate immediately if there is actual and immediate risk of collapse, and Sec. 13 let the county perform emergency work and bill the owner, who must pay within 30 days or have the cost charged to the General Fund.
Violations & Fines
Refusing to comply with a Condemnation Order, failing to respond within 48 hours under Sec. 1343.06, or using the building in violation of the order is itself a Building Code violation under Sec. 1343.08, exposed to the general penalty in Sec. 1301.99: a first-degree misdemeanor with up to a $500 fine and six months in jail, each day a separate offense. Unpaid emergency-work costs under Sec. 1343.13 are recovered from the owner or charged to the County General Fund if unpaid within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a building "unsafe" under Summit County's code?
Is a vacant, boarded-up house automatically a violation?
How long do I have to respond to a Condemnation Order?
What happens if I ignore a Condemnation Order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Summit County
Compare Summit County to another location·View the Ohio property maintenance overview
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