Phoenix — Ch. 22 Art. VI Property Maintenance § 22-415
Additional authority
Operative Text
(a) If the enforcement officer has reason to believe that a property subject to the provisions of this chapter is posing a serious threat to the public health, safety, and welfare, the code enforcement officer may temporarily secure the property at the expense of the mortgagee, owner and/or landlord, and may bring the violations before the code enforcement, board of trustees or special magistrate as soon as possible to address the conditions of the property. Nothing herein shall limit the village from abating any nuisance or unsafe condition by any other legal means available to it. (b) The sheriff, code enforcement, board of trustees or special magistrate shall have the authority to require the mortgagee, owner and/or landlord, affected by this section, to implement additional maintenance and/or security measures including, but not limited to, securing any and all doors, windows or other openings, employment of an on-site security guard or other measures as may be reasonably required to help prevent further decline of the property. (c) If there is a finding that the condition of the property is posing a serious threat to the public health, safety, and welfare, then the sheriff, code enforcement, board of trustees or special magistrate may direct the village to abate the violations and charge the mortgagee, owner and/or landlord with the cost of the abatement. (d) In registering a property as required by this chapter, and in order to abate part of the harm caused by properties that pose a serious threat to the public health, safety, and welfare of the village, the sheriff, code enforcement, village council or special magistrate is granted the authority to issue a trespass warning to individuals on the properties, including any common areas related to the rental properties, unless they can demonstrate authority in writing to be on the property. The landlord, mortgagee, and/or owner can opt out of or revoke the village's authority to issue a trespass warning by notifying the village on the registration form or in writing, directed to the sheriff, code enforcement, village council or special magistrate. (e) If the mortgagee, owner and/or landlord does not reimburse the village for the cost of temporarily securing the property, or of any abatement directed by the sheriff, code enforcement officer, code enforcement, board of trustees or special magistrate, within 30 days of the village sending the mortgagee, owner and/or landlord the invoice then the village may lien the property with such cost, along with an administrative fee as determined in the village's fee ordinance to recover the administrative personnel services. In addition to filing a lien the village may pursue financial penalties against the mortgagee, owner and/or landlord. (f) The village may contract with an entity to implement this chapter, and, if so, any reference to the enforcement officer herein shall include the entity the village contract with for that purpose.
Phoenix Ch. 22 Art. VI § 22-415 grants code enforcement officers and related authorities broad emergency powers when a property poses a serious threat to public health, safety, or welfare. Under this provision, officials may temporarily secure a property, order additional maintenance or security measures, abate violations directly, and recover all associated costs from the mortgagee, owner, or landlord. Authorities may also issue trespass warnings on registered properties unless individuals can show written authorization to be present, though property owners may opt out of that arrangement in writing.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Phoenix Ch. 22 Art. VI § 22-415, property owners and mortgagees bear financial responsibility for any emergency securing or abatement actions the village undertakes on a property deemed a serious public threat. Compliant operators generally keep properties in a condition that avoids triggering these emergency powers, respond promptly to any invoices from the village within the 30-day reimbursement window, and submit written notice to the appropriate authority if they wish to opt out of or revoke the village's trespass-warning authority. Failure to reimburse the village can result in a property lien plus administrative fees, as well as additional financial penalties.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Phoenix Ch. 22 Art. VI § 22-415 gives enforcement authorities the power to act quickly when a rental property poses a serious threat to residents' health and safety, including ordering security measures and abating dangerous conditions. Tenants who believe their property meets that threshold may contact Phoenix code enforcement to report conditions and request an inspection. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how this provision interacts with other protections, such as habitability standards, and what options may be available when a property is found to pose a serious public threat.
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
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.