Phoenix — Ch. 22 Art. VI Property Maintenance § 22-312
Demolition
Operative Text
(a) Grounds. The village or its designee may order the owner of premises upon which is located any structure or part thereof, which in his judgment is so old, dilapidated or has become so out of repair as to be dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary or otherwise unfit for human habitation occupancy or use, and so that it would be unreasonable to repair the same, to raze and remove such structure or part thereof; or if it can be made safe by repairs to repair and make safe and sanitary or to raze and remove at the owner's option; or where there has been a cessation of normal construction of any structure for a period of more than two years, to raze and remove such structure or part thereof. (b) Demolition order. The order shall be brought before the village board before issuance. The order shall specify a time in which the owner shall comply therewith and specify repairs, if any. It shall be served on the owner of record or his agent where an agent is in charge of the building and upon the holder of any encumbrance of record in the manner provided for service of a summons by a court of record. If the owner or a holder of an encumbrance of record cannot be found, the order may be served by posting it on the main entrance of the building and by publishing it once each week for three successive weeks in a newspaper authorized to provide service by publication.
Phoenix City Code Ch. 22 Art. VI § 22-312 establishes a process by which the city or its designee can order the demolition of structures deemed too dangerous, unsafe, unsanitary, or dilapidated to be reasonably repaired, as well as structures where construction has been stalled for more than two years. Depending on the condition of the structure, the owner may be given the choice to either repair and make it safe or demolish it entirely. Any such order must first go before the village board, must specify a compliance timeline, and must be formally served on the property owner, lienholders, or — if they cannot be located — posted on the building and published in a local newspaper.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 22-312, property owners whose buildings are found to be severely deteriorated, unsafe, or subject to prolonged construction stoppage may receive a formal demolition or repair order from the city. A compliant operator generally keeps structures in a condition that avoids triggering the 'unreasonable to repair' threshold and maintains active construction timelines to prevent a two-year-stall finding. When an order is issued, it will be served on the owner of record or a designated agent, so keeping current contact information and agent designations on file with the city helps ensure timely notice and the opportunity to respond within the specified compliance window.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 22-312 provides a framework that can affect occupants when a structure is found to be so deteriorated or unsafe that the city orders demolition or mandatory repairs. Tenants living in a building subject to such an order have an interest in understanding the timeline specified in that order, as it directly affects habitability and continued occupancy. Those who believe a building they occupy may be subject to these conditions can reach out to Phoenix's code enforcement or housing offices for information, or consult a local tenant-rights organization to understand how a § 22-312 order may interact with their lease and relocation rights.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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