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A messy property or codes nobody enforces

What to do when a neighboring property is a problem and the city isn't acting on it.

Before you rely on thisThese are older articles and answers, and laws and programs change and vary by place. For current rules, check with your city or county code enforcement office.

Start with these

  1. Visitor question

    How to Get City to Enforce Ordinance

    Visitor Question: The City where I live has a definite zoning ordinance (Code 82.15) that states commercial vehicles are not to be parked in residential

  2. Guide

    An Overview of How Code Enforcement Can Help You Make and Keep a Good Community

    The code enforcement overview describes why and how local governments use this tool to obtain compliance with local ordinances. Typical flow is explained.

  3. Guide

    A Property Maintenance Code Is Good for Your Town

    Learn how to implement an appropriate property maintenance code, which promotes economic viability, safety, and attractiveness of your community.

  4. Visitor question

    Property Upkeep Code to Protect Neighborhood Quality

    Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: We live in a neighborhood of single family homes. Because we are in the county and not the city, the International

  5. Visitor question

    Code officer ignores my written complaints

    Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: A wealthy and gregarious neighbor has SCHMOOZED the code officer into looking the other way on his development.

  6. Visitor question

    Town codes not enforced

    Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: The town I live in is not enforcing the written codes such as parking lot requirements and snow removal. Does

  7. Visitor question

    Resident told to hire a lawyer to get codes enforced

    Reviewed: June 12, 2024 Visitor Question: I have a neighbor who extended his driveway onto my property and a neighbor who built a pad for his boats, damaging

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Original guidance from A Good Community: How to Make and Keep It, owned and edited by Nancy Thompson (formerly Useful Community Development), shared with permission. Community Compass notes and updates are our own and have not been reviewed by Nancy Thompson.