Yucaipa, CA Property Maintenance: Property Blight (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration deadline
- Within 10 days of the building becoming vacant
- Vacancy threshold
- 35 percent of floor area not lawfully occupied
- Boarding permit
- Valid 90 days, one 90-day extension
- Abandoned construction
- No valid permit, or no substantial work for six months
- Criminal penalty
- Fine up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail
- Appeal of abatement order
- Written appeal to city council within 14 days
Summary
In the City of Yucaipa, California, a building that sits unsecured, stays half-built for six months, or falls into disrepair counts as blighted property under Yucaipa Municipal Code § 8.16.032. Owners must register a vacant building within 10 days, and a violation is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in County jail.
"Blight" or "blighted property" means any one or more of the following conditions or activities: 1. Abandoned building or structure. a. A building or structure which is not being inhabited, occupied, or used and which is unsecured. For purposes of this section, a building or structure is unsecured when the public can gain entry without the consent of the owner; or ... 3. A building or structure which is in a state of disrepair: a. Exterior wall and/or roof coverings which have become deteriorated and do not provide adequate weather protections, resulting in termite infestation and/or dry rot. b. Broken or missing windows or doors which constitute a hazardous condition or a potential attraction to trespassers. ... 2. Criminal penalties. Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, or by imprisonment in the County jail not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment
Full Breakdown
The City of Yucaipa, in San Bernardino County, defines blight in § 8.16.032, the vacant buildings and boarding section of Chapter 8.16 (Nuisances). An abandoned building is one that is not inhabited, occupied or used and is unsecured, meaning the public can enter without the owner's consent. A partially constructed, reconstructed or demolished structure is abandoned when no valid building or demolition permit exists, or when there has been no substantial work for six months or more. Disrepair covers deteriorated exterior wall or roof coverings that lead to termite infestation or dry rot, and broken or missing windows or doors that create a hazard or attract trespassers. The definition also reaches overgrown vegetation likely to harbor rats or pigeons, solid waste visible from a street for more than 72 consecutive hours, and abandoned pools holding polluted water.
A vacant building is one where at least 35 percent of the floor area is not lawfully occupied. The owner must register it with the enforcement official (the city manager, building official, chief of police, fire chief or their designees) within 10 days and renew the registration every year; the city council sets the fee by resolution. An owner more than 40 driving miles away must hire a local property management company holding a City business license to inspect weekly and post a sign of at least 18" X 24". No building designed for human use can stand vacant for more than 90 days unless the owner shows active construction, active marketing or active maintenance.
Boarding openings requires a boarding permit valid for 90 days, extendable once for another 90 days, using exterior-grade plywood of a minimum thickness of 3/4 inch. When the City finds a nuisance, the notice must give an abatement period of not less than ten (10) days, the community development director holds a hearing, and the order can be appealed in writing to the city council within fourteen (14) days of service. Under § 8.16.210, a building built lawfully when constructed is not ordered demolished unless there is no reasonable way other than demolition to correct the nuisance.
Violations & Fines
Violating § 8.16.032 is unlawful and declared a public nuisance. It is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in the County jail, or both, although the city attorney can prosecute it as an infraction. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense. Administrative civil penalties under Chapter 1.12 are capped at $2,500.00 per violation per day, and the City's abatement costs become a special assessment and lien on the parcel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon must I register a vacant building in the City of Yucaipa?
Can I board up a vacant building in Yucaipa without a permit?
How do I appeal a Yucaipa nuisance abatement order?
Who counts as the owner under the Yucaipa vacant building rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yucaipa
California rules heatmap·Compare Yucaipa to another location·View the California property maintenance overview
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Property Blight in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle property blight.