Woodland, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)

Section 9.04.040 of the Woodland Municipal Code treats a vacant, unoccupied or abandoned building as blight and a public nuisance, and makes the "responsible party," meaning any owner, lender, trustee or other person with a possessory or legal interest, responsible for actively maintaining and monitoring it. Required steps include posting a sign reading "Unsafe to Occupy/No Trespassing," securing every door and window with working locks, replacing broken doors or windows, keeping electrical, gas, sanitary and plumbing systems safe under the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, clearing overgrown vegetation, keeping fences upright and graffiti-free, and removing all visible refuse and junk.

No building may sit in a state of incomplete construction, partial demolition or damage from fire, earthquake or vandalism for more than 12 consecutive months unless work is proceeding under a valid permit. If the property is not secured within 30 days of a City request, the Community Development Director will have it boarded and secured at the owner's expense, with unpaid costs becoming a lien on the property. A building deemed dangerous under Section 15.04.070 and open to the public may be summarily boarded.

Owners may also be placed into a monitoring program requiring a filed maintenance plan within 10 days of an order, including the building's address, parcel number, owner contact information and a rehabilitation schedule; any change to that information must be reported to the Community Development Department within 15 days. The City removes a property from the monitoring program once it stays violation-free for six consecutive months.