Hillsboro, OR Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Registered vacant/foreclosed homes
- Must stay free of
- Weeds, trash, debris, mail
- Correction window
- 14 working days
- Enhanced penalty
- Up to $1,000/day
Summary
Hillsboro requires owners of registered vacant or foreclosed residential property to keep it looking occupied, free of weeds, dead vegetation, trash, and accumulated mail, under a distressed-property registration chapter.
The owners of residential property determined to be or registered as abandoned residential property or vacant foreclosed residential property shall cause the property to be maintained in a generally kempt condition generally found on surrounding occupied residential property and free of weeds, dead vegetation, graffiti, trash, accumulated newspapers, circulars, flyers, discarded personal items and other items/conditions that give the appearance the property is vacant or abandoned.B.In the event there is an outdoor pools or spas at abandoned residential property or vacant residential property, they shall either be kept in working order or drained and kept dry. (Ord. 6019, § 1, 2012)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 1 | Community Development Code: Supplement 1).
Full Breakdown
HMC Subchapter 6.32 (Distressed Residential Property Registration) applies once a home is vacant and in foreclosure, or the Chief determines it's vacant. Owners must register the property with the Recorder, and HMC 6.32.040 requires them to keep it in a generally kempt condition matching surrounding occupied homes: free of weeds, dead vegetation, graffiti, trash, and accumulated newspapers, mail, or flyers that signal the home is vacant. Pools or spas must stay maintained or drained. This chapter targets bank-owned and foreclosure-pipeline homes; an ordinary undeveloped or vacant land parcel falls instead under the City's general noxious-vegetation nuisance rule at HMC 6.16.
Violations & Fines
Noncompliance draws a correction notice with 14 working days to fix it, then City abatement billed to the owner as a lien, plus an enhanced penalty up to $1,000/day for willful violations under HMC 6.32.070.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule cover any vacant lot in Hillsboro?
What must the owner of a foreclosed Hillsboro home do?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hillsboro
Compare Hillsboro to another location·View the Oregon 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 Washington County handle vacant lot maintenance.