Joliet, IL Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Section 20-3 defines a public nuisance to include any lot, land, yard, premises or location that, by its condition, endangers health or safety, or that, by reason of lack of maintenance or adequate maintenance of the property, and/or being vacant, depreciates the enjoyment, aesthetic appearance, and use of nearby properties enough to hurt the city at large. Section 20-4(a) then lists what a code official will treat as a detrimental condition on any lot in any district: construction and demolition debris, garbage, junk, refuse, rubbish, or trash stored outside (other than material set out for a scheduled hauler pickup), materials kept in a haphazard or unorganized manner, seasonal yard equipment stored outside past its season, landscaping or construction materials brought to the lot but not used within 90 days, recreational equipment stored outside of season in a haphazard manner, and household, commercial, or industrial items not normally found in residential districts left visible from adjacent property or the right-of-way for more than two weeks.

Section 20-2 defines 'junk' broadly, covering tree branches, grass clippings, appliances, furniture, tires, and 'any other unsightly debris' that hurts neighborhood or city property values, health, safety or general welfare. Section 20-6 requires a code official to serve the property owner (or occupant) with written notice describing the violation and setting an abatement window of not less than two, nor more than ten, days. Chronic or unaddressed conditions can also trigger the blighted-property findings in § 20-5, which bars reoccupying a structure the city has declared blighted until the neighborhood services division approves it.