Citrus County, FL Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Section 19-74 requires any mortgagee holding a defaulted mortgage on real property in Citrus County to inspect the property, and if it is found vacant or shows evidence of vacancy, the mortgagee must register it with the code compliance director within ten days on county-provided forms, naming a local property manager responsible for inspecting, securing and maintaining it. Registration must include the mortgagee's and servicer's names, mailing and email addresses and phone numbers, plus the same contact details for the local manager, and an annual registration fee set by county resolution applies.

The duty extends to properties transferred through foreclosure sale or a deed in lieu of foreclosure, and any change in registered information must be reported within ten days. Section 19-75 then sets the maintenance floor for a registered abandoned property: it must be kept free of weeds, overgrown brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris, building materials and accumulated newspapers or discarded personal items that would make the property look abandoned, and vegetation over the height limitations imposed elsewhere in county code (the 18-inch cap under section 20-61) is specifically prohibited.

Pools and spas on the property must stay in working order under applicable building, health and life safety codes. This registration and maintenance framework applies only in unincorporated Citrus County; it does not reach vacant lots inside Crystal River or Inverness.