Neglected and Derelict Properties

Neglected and Derelict Buildings (NADB) negatively impact the health, safety, and welfare of Denverites and Denver neighborhoods. These properties pose serious fire risks, create environmental hazards, are often structurally insecure, and attract crime, trespassing and other illegal activities.

That's why Councilmembers Sawyer, Kashmann, and Torres and I partnered to strengthen the NADB ordinance, which has not been updated since 2012 (13 years!). In August 2024, Denver City Councilmembers Sawyer, Kashmann, and Torres convened a monthly working group with the Mayor's Office, Community Planning & Development (CPD), City Attorney's Office (CAO), Department of Public Health & Environment (DPHE), Public Safety (DPD and DFD), Office of Social Equity & Innovation (OSEI), and Human Rights & Community Partnerships (HRCP). As a result of these working group meetings, the City Agencies have started a first-of-its-kind in Denver Neglected & Derelict Buildings Task Force. The proposed bill would:

• Establish a service response fee that would be levied against property owners of NADBs when 3 or more calls for service by DPD, DFD, or for EMS happen at one of these properties. The fine would be up to $5,000 per call after 3 calls for service within a 6-month period. Community Planning & Development and the Department of Safety are working on rules & regulations to guide how they will communicate with one another. 
• Increase the fine structure to allow CPD to issue fines from $999 per day to up to $5,000 per day for non-compliance with the remedial plan.
• Expand the scope and definitions of NADBs to include vacant land (lots without structures on them that are nuisances).
• Streamline the appeals process and judicial enforcement of NADBs to clarify when CPD must seek a court order and clarifies when they can go to court after repeated non-compliance or continued delinquency of monetary penalties. This includes removing the show cause hearings that are used now. These show cause hearings bog down the process. Instead, the show cause hearings will be replaced by a remedial plan assessment meeting between the property owner and Community Planning & Development (CPD). This change will speed up the timeline for bringing these properties into compliance.
• Empower Landmark Preservation Commission to preserve historic properties that are designated neglected & derelict.
• Require CPD to issue an annual report to City Council by March 31^st each year on NADBs in Denver. 

The bill passed unanimously out of City Council and will take effect on February 1, 2026.