Vacant lots and vacant buildings in St. Louis must be registered with the Building Division and maintained free of trash, overgrowth, and unauthorized access. The city also imposes a Vacancy Fee on certain long-term vacant structures and aggressively uses LRA tools.
Under St. Louis City Revised Code vacant building registration provisions, owners of unoccupied buildings must register with the Building Division, provide a local contact, maintain insurance, and keep the structure secured. The city has implemented Vacancy Fee and Vacant Building Registration ordinances that apply escalating annual fees to long-vacant structures to encourage rehab or sale. Vacant lots must be mowed to the Title 11 grass standard, free of trash, and fenced if hazardous. The Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) holds thousands of tax-foreclosed parcels and can reassign blighted properties. Failure to register or maintain results in citations, liens, and ultimately LRA takeover through tax sale under RSMo Chapter 140 or 141.
Vacancy registration violations carry fines per day plus back registration fees. Unmowed lots trigger Title 11 nuisance abatement with the city mowing and billing the owner, plus admin fees.
St. Louis, MO
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St. Louis, MO
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St. Louis, MO
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St. Louis, MO
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St. Louis, MO
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St. Louis, MO
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See how St. Louis's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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