In order to maintain the quality of the City's stock of residential and commercial buildings, a number of standards have been established dealing with the maintenance and upkeep of structures. Any structure or property that fails to meet these standards may be declared substandard, and subject to the abatement process outlined below.

In accordance with ordinance Chapter 5, Article V, a building may be declared substandard if one or more of the following conditions are found:

Inadequate sanitation: including improper bathroom or sewer facilities; infestation of insects, rodents or vermin; general dilapidation or improper maintenance.
Structural hazards: deteriorated or inadequate foundation, flooring or floor supports, deteriorated, defective or improper wall, ceiling or roof members, defective or deteriorated fireplaces or chimneys.
Nuisance: Any nuisance defined by City ordinance, such as illegal open storage, junked vehicles, high grass or fences in disrepair.
Hazardous wiring: Any wiring which does not conform to applicable codes in effect at the time of installation, and/or which has not been maintained in good condition or used in a safe manner.
Hazardous plumbing: Any plumbing which does not conform to applicable codes in effect at the time of installation, and/or which has not been maintained in good condition and free of cross-connections or siphonage between fixtures.
Hazardous mechanical equipment: Any mechanical (i.e. heating, ventilating or air conditioning) equipment which does not conform to applicable codes in effect at the time of installation, and/or which has not been maintained in good and safe condition.
Faulty weather protection: Defective, deteriorated or ineffective plaster, paint or exterior weather protection of walls or roof, broken windows or doors, rotten or deteriorated exterior wall or roof coverings.
Fire hazard: Any building, equipment or condition that may cause or promote the spread of fire.
Faulty materials of construction: Any construction materials not permitted by code, or which have not been maintained in good condition.
Hazardous or unsanitary premises: Those premises on which an accumulation of weeds, vegetation, jjunk, dead organic matter, debris, garbage, offal, rat harborages, stagnant water, combustible materials and similar materials or conditions constitute fire, health or safety hazards.
Inadequate maintenance: Any building or portion thereof which is determined to be an unsafe building in accordance with the building code.

The International Property Maintenance Code also provides general standards for the maintenance of property in the City, including the inside of buildings. This includes accumulations of filth or contamination, the conditions of interior wall or floor coverings, sanitary conditions, etc. Violation of the standards set forth in this code may cause a property to be deemed "unfit for human occupancy".

City ordinance as well as the International Property Maintenance Code allow the City to take steps to correct or remove violations. The City must provide notice to the owner of any property deemed to be substandard or unfit for human occupancy, listing specific conditions that caused it to be so deemed and specifying deadlines by which permits must be obtained for repair or demolition.

If the property owner fails to appeal or respond to this notice, the City's Director of Public Works may schedule a public hearing. After the hearing, the Director will issue a notice requiring that any substandard building/s be repaired, rehabilitated, vacated or demolished.

In the event that the building is not repaired as required by the Director's notice, or the Director finds that the building/s must be demolished, a public hearing will be scheduled in Municipal Court to determine a course of action.

If so directed by the Municipal Court, the City may cause the necessary repairs to be made, or may cause the building/s to be demolished. All expenses connected with such work are charged to the property owner and may be placed as a lien against the property if the owner fails to reimburse the City for expenses incurred.

Ordinance reference: Chapter 5, Article V, International Property Maintenance Code

City of Duncanville

Property Issues

Property Issues