Calaveras County, CA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Unincorporated Calaveras County addresses vacant and distressed parcels primarily through Chapter 8.06. The same nuisance and maintenance standards apply whether a property is occupied or vacant: 8.06.040 makes owners responsible for maintenance regardless of occupancy, and 8.06.050 defines distressed property to include parcels subject to a notice of default, notice of trustee's sale, or foreclosure. Section 8.06.110 imposes a specific foreclosure/vacant-property registration duty. Upon recordation of a notice of default, the trustee, beneficiary, and/or lender must register the property with the Calaveras County Code Compliance Unit within fifteen days; the registration identifies the party jointly and severally liable for property maintenance once the property becomes Real Estate Owned (REO). Anyone acquiring a trustee's deed through foreclosure must deliver a copy to the Building Official within fifteen days of recording. Code Compliance issues notices of violation to REO owners whose property remains vacant and in violation for thirty consecutive days, and failure to correct within thirty days of that notice results in an administrative citation. The registration fee is $450 (covering initial registration and two inspections/site visits); additional inspections are billed at the hourly administrative rate of $108, and a property vacant beyond one year owes a $150 renewal fee. Vacant lots accumulating junk, debris, or overgrowth can also be cited as a public nuisance.