Wayne County, IN Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Section 150.31 adopts I.C. 36-7-9-1 through 36-7-9-28 by reference as the County Unsafe Building Law, and if the county's own subchapter ever conflicts with that statute, the state statute controls. Under § 150.32, once the Building Commissioner inspects a building and determines it unsafe as defined in the subchapter, that building is declared a public nuisance and must be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition or removal following the statute's procedure. Section 150.35 supplements the statutory definition with detailed local criteria, including structural damage from fire, wind or flood, a supporting member showing 33% or more deterioration (50% for non-supporting members), a building abandoned more than six months that has become an attractive nuisance to children, and conditions the Building Commissioner determines make a dwelling unfit for human habitation or a fire hazard.

Section 150.33 authorizes the Commissioner to administer and proceed under the law, § 150.37 designates the Commissioner as the Director for hearings under I.C. 36-7-9-3 and 36-7-9-7, and § 150.38 establishes a dedicated Unsafe Building Fund under I.C. 36-7-9-14 to cover abatement costs. Anyone who builds, alters, occupies or maintains a building contrary to the subchapter or an abatement order violates § 150.39, and each day the violation continues is its own Class C infraction, separate from the state-law penalty under I.C. 36-7-9-28.