Atlanta, GA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Atlanta Code § 74-173
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Public Works
- Continuing violation
- New offense every 10 days
- Owner fails to abate
- City removes trash, bills owner
- Unpaid abatement cost
- Becomes a lien on property
Summary
Atlanta bans letting trash and refuse pile up on a vacant lot to the point it threatens public health or safety. The accumulation is a nuisance per se under City Code § 74-173, enforced by the Department of Public Works.
It shall be unlawful for the owner of a vacant lot, tract, or parcel of land in the city to permit the accumulation of trash and other refuse upon said property to the extent that it endangers the public health, safety or welfare. The accumulation of such trash and other refuse shall constitute a public nuisance per se.
Full Breakdown
Under Atlanta Code § 74-173, an owner who lets trash and other refuse accumulate on a vacant lot, tract, or parcel to a degree that endangers public health, safety, or welfare has created a nuisance per se. The commissioner of public works must first give written notice specifying what to clean up and a deadline; if the owner doesn't comply, the city summons the owner to Atlanta Municipal Court under O.C.G.A. § 41-2-5 to prove a nuisance exists. If the judge orders abatement and the owner still hasn't acted within five days, public works crews clear the lot and bill the owner, and unpaid charges become a lien recorded against the property.
Violations & Fines
Each ten days a court-adjudicated nuisance continues past the abatement deadline is a separate offense. If the owner still doesn't clean up, the city removes the trash itself, bills the owner, and unpaid costs become a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Atlanta clean my vacant lot and charge me for it?
What counts as an unclean vacant lot in Atlanta?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Atlanta
Compare Atlanta to another location·View the Georgia property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Vacant Lot Maintenance in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle vacant lot maintenance.