Detroit runs one of the largest blight elimination programs in the nation. Wayne County suburbs enforce property maintenance codes. Detroit blight fines range from $200 to $10,000.
Property blight is one of the most visible and heavily enforced issues in Wayne County, particularly in Detroit, which has operated one of the largest blight elimination programs in the nation following the 2013 bankruptcy. Detroit's Department of Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental (BSEED) enforces blight tickets for peeling paint, broken windows, missing gutters, open or vacant structures, overgrown grass above 8 inches, accumulated trash, graffiti, inoperable vehicles, and illegal dumping. Fines range from $200 to $10,000 per violation, with administrative hearings handling contested tickets. Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, and other suburbs have similar property maintenance codes based on the International Property Maintenance Code. The Detroit Land Bank Authority manages tens of thousands of vacant properties and has demolished over 20,000 blighted structures through federal and state funding. Illegal dumping on vacant lots, a persistent problem, carries the highest fines and can be prosecuted criminally. Repeat commercial blight can trigger receivership under Michigan law.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Wayne County, MI
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See how Wayne County's property blight rules stack up against other locations.
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