Cactus Village Community

Most Common Blight Violations . . .City of Phoenix

Jul 28, 2003

Everything You Wanted to Know About Blight and How to Clean It Up

Blight conditions in neighborhoods can negatively impact property values, encourage crime and discourage other homeowners, business owners and tenants from maintaining their properties.

The following are among the most frequent blight violations of city of Phoenix ordinances:

By policy, inspectors responding to an initial complaint at a property will look for the following conditions at that property and at properties in the immediate area.

Vegetation:
Property owners are responsible for maintaining their properties, and the adjacent right of way, free of dead or dried vegetation (weeds, tall grass, tumbleweeds, shrubs, trees, palm fronds, etc). All dead or dried vegetation must be removed and disposed of properly. Property owners are also responsible for assuring that weeds/tumbleweeds on their property and in the adjacent right-of-way do not exceed six inches in height, and that lawn grass is maintained at six inches or shorter.

Inoperable vehicles:

Inoperable vehicles must not be seen from beyond the bounds of the property line. An inoperable vehicle is a vehicle that is not equipped with all parts that are required to legally and safely operate it on public streets and/or cannot be driven under its own power. Car covers, tarps, bamboo, shades and other similar types of materials are not acceptable screening.

Junk, litter and debris:

Junk, litter and debris cannot be left on the property. It must be disposed of properly. This includes junk auto parts, appliances, furniture, building and/or landscaping material, and tires; litter such as discarded paper, cardboard, plastics, etc.; debris such as tree trimmings and fallen tree limbs; or any other items that have been discarded.

Open and vacant buildings and structures:
The property owner is responsible for maintaining buildings, structures and grounds of a property.

Windows, doors, and other openings must be kept secure so they cannot be opened from the outside. A property owner may be required to board up a building/structure to city specifications if it becomes vacant and is not secure. Accessory buildings/structures on the property, such as storage sheds and garages, also must be secured to City specifications. Boarding up a building\structure is a one-time, temporary securement option, for a period not to exceed one year.

Demolition or rehabilitation may be required under certain conditions. To obtain specifications for securing vacant structures, call (602) 262-7844.

Outside storage:
Outside storage on residentially zoned properties that can be seen from beyond the bounds of the property line is not allowed. Generally, any equipment, building or landscaping materials; parts/auto parts; appliances or any scrap items may not be visible. You may store boats, campers and other similar personal items in a limited area of the rear yard of residentially zoned properties. There are specific regulations that apply to outdoor storage and use on properties zoned for other than residential use. For information on these regulations, call (602) 262-7844.

Fences in disrepair:
Fencing and screening walls must be sound and made from the same materials. They also must be structurally sound and free from deterioration and blight. Fences in residential zones cannot be higher than 3 feet in the required front yard and 6 feet in the required rear yard. . . ☻