The City can take action on vacant buildings, and you can help move the process along. First, make sure the City is aware that the building is vacant. Call the DSI - Complaint Office at (651) 266-8989 to report a vacant building. An inspector will come out to check.

City ordinance requires vacant buildings be registered with the City. After you call, the inspector who responds will determine whether this building should be registered as a vacant building.

The City monitors vacant buildings to see if they are secured, if they are being rehabilitated, or if they should be torn down. If a building is not secured, the inspector can order the owner to secure it. In addition, if necessary, the City can board-up and secure the building.

If the building is not rehabilitated, the City may determine it is a nuisance and take action to have it torn down if rehabilitation is infeasible. Buildings that may be regarded as nuisances include any dangerous buildings, any unsecured or boarded buildings, any building unoccupied for a year or longer which has multiple code violations, condemned, or any building under construction with an incomplete exterior shell for up to one year. If only a portion of a building is hazardous (such as a porch or chimney) it can be torn down without demolishing the entire building.


For more information, please visit the Vacant Building section of the website.


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