Colona CHAPTER 2 RENTAL HOUSING1 § 9-2-5-13
ACCESSORY STRUCTURES
Operative Text
A. Accessory structures shall not obstruct light and air of doors and windows of any dwelling unit, or obstruct a safe means of access to any dwelling unit or create fire and safety hazards or provide rat or vermin harborage. Accessory structures shall be functional and shall be maintained in a state of good repair and alignment. B. All exterior appurtenances or accessory structures which serve no useful purpose and which are in a deteriorated condition which is not economically repairable, shall be removed. Such structures include porches, terraces, entrance platforms, garages, driveways, carports, walls, fences and miscellaneous sheds. (1997 Code)
Under Colona CHAPTER 2 RENTAL HOUSING § 9-2-5-13, accessory structures—such as porches, garages, fences, sheds, and similar exterior features—must not block light, air, or safe access to dwelling units, and must not create fire, safety, or pest-harborage hazards. These structures are required to be kept functional and in good repair. If an exterior appurtenance has no useful purpose and is too deteriorated to repair economically, the provision requires its removal rather than its continued presence on the property.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Colona § 9-2-5-13 generally keep all accessory structures—including porches, carports, driveways, walls, and sheds—in good repair, properly aligned, and free of conditions that could block light or air to windows and doors, impede safe egress, create fire or safety hazards, or harbor rodents and vermin. When a structure no longer serves a useful purpose and its deterioration is beyond economical repair, compliant operators arrange for its removal rather than leaving it in place. Routine inspections of exterior appurtenances help identify conditions that may need attention under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Colona § 9-2-5-13 establishes that tenants are entitled to live in a rental unit where accessory structures do not compromise light, air, safe access, fire safety, or pest control. If a porch, fence, shed, garage, or similar structure appears to violate these standards—for example, by blocking an exit or harboring vermin—tenants may document the condition and report it to the appropriate local code enforcement or housing authority. Tenant-rights organizations can provide general information about how to raise a violation of this provision or what remedies may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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