Neglected and Derelict Properties

To protect the safety, prosperity, health and welfare of all city residents, the City and County of Denver requires properties to be safe and well-maintained. Each property owner is responsible for the care and maintenance of their property and the buildings on that property.

What makes a property neglected and derelict?

A property may be designated as neglected and derelict if one or more of the five criteria listed below applies:

1. A building on the property is unsafe, as defined by the Denver building code;
2. A building on the property is not lawfully occupied for three consecutive months, is wholly or partially boarded up, and the property does not show evidence of substantial and ongoing construction activity;
3. The property is not lawfully occupied and has been in violation of any provision of city or state law on three separate occasions within a two-year period;
4. The property is not lawfully occupied and is behind on property taxes; or
5. The property is considered a neighborhood nuisance because:
   1. the property is a danger to the public health, safety or welfare due to inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, or other similar reason;
   2. it is structurally unsafe or unsanitary; is not provided with adequate safe egress; constitutes a fire hazard;
   3. it is otherwise dangerous to human life;
   4. or in relation to the existing use constitutes a danger to the public health, safety or welfare.

Vacant properties and vacant lots without buildings that City Inspectors have identified as unsafe, having consistent violations of city or state statutes or are otherwise a nuisance to the community can also be declared neglected and derelict.

See Denver Revised Municipal Code Section 10-140 for complete information.

What happens when a property is deemed neglected and derelict?

The property owner must secure the property, including boarding up and closing any openings on any structure. CPD can order the property to be secured by a contractor and will pass those costs to the property owner.

A pre-application meeting with CPD is required within 30 days of NADP designation to discuss the current violations, any factors that CPD should consider related to the conditions onsite and possible routes for remediation. A preferred outcome of the pre-application meeting is an approved Remedial Plan, with agreed upon timelines and benchmarks and plans for maintenance of the property until the plans are completed.

An owner may choose one of several outcomes to have the NADP designation removed:

1. Rehabilitate the property and have it legally occupied.
2. Sell the property – CPD will contact the new owner and begin the working with them through the process of remediation.
3. Demolish the property.
4. In cases of vacant land – Demonstrate the property has been violation free for a period of six months.

Failure to comply with the Orders of Designation and the required pre-application meeting can result in Administrative Citations of $5,000. Failure to provide property maintenance and security is a violation of the NADP designation order and can result in Administrative Citations of $5,000. CPD will continue to issue additional citations until a property owner begins to comply with issued orders.

Consecutive failures to maintain and secure a designated NADP property could result in a General Violation summons in the City and County Court of Denver, where a judge could impose penalties up to and including appointing a receiver. 

For more details on regulations related to neglected and derelict buildings in Denver, see Denver Revised Municipal Code Section 10-138.