Tempe, AZ Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

Chapter 21's enumerated nuisance violations single out vector infestation twice. Section 21-3(b)(20) forbids leaving any property infested with insects or rodents including bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, mice, rats or roaches whenever the infestation could become a hazard to public health or safety. A companion clause, Section 21-3(b)(1), separately bars accumulating trash, debris or discarded appliances that "may harbor insect, rodent or vermin infestation," so a cluttered yard that draws pests is independently citable even before the infestation itself is confirmed. For landlords, Article II's rental housing minimum standards go further: Section 21-38(n) requires every rental unit and its premises be "kept free from insect, rodent or vermin infestation" and free of "the presence or apparent evidence" of infestation, nesting places, or unsanitary accumulations that could harbor pests, and Section 21-38(b) requires holes in interior walls, floors and ceilings that could "admit or harbor insects or rodents" to be sealed.

The Community Development Director or designee inspects rental units for these standards under Section 21-24 and can order repairs before re-occupancy. For owner-occupied and other property, code inspectors respond to complaints and proceed under the same Article III enforcement track as any other Chapter 21 nuisance.