Ala. Code §§ 6-5-155 to 6-5-156.5 § 6-5-155.3
Contents of Complaint; Supporting Affidavits.
Operative Text
(a) The complaint or an affidavit attached thereto shall describe the adverse impact associated with the drug-related nuisance upon the surrounding neighborhood. Adverse impact includes, without limitation, the presence of any one or more of the following conditions: (1) Diminished property value. (2) Increased fear of residents to walk through or in public areas, including sidewalks, streets, alleys, and parks. (3) Increased volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic to and from the property. (4) An increase in the number of ambulance or police calls to the property which are related to the use of drugs, or to violence stemming from drug-related activity. (5) Bothersome solicitors or approaches by strangers wishing to sell drugs, or the aggressive solicitation of alms, on or near the property. (6) The display of dangerous weapons on or near the property. (7) Investigative purchases of drugs by law enforcement officers on or near the property. (8) Arrests of persons on or near the property. (9) Housing code violations relating to the property. (10) Health code violations relating to the property. (11) Accumulation of trash and refuse in common areas on or adjacent to the property. (12) Unsecured entryways on the property. (13) Loitering. (14) Unreasonable noise. (15) Search warrants served or executed at the property. (16) The number of complaints made to law enforcement and other government officials about the alleged illegal activity associated with the property. (17) The discharge of a firearm at the property. (18) Violations of zoning laws or regulations at the property. (b) The complaint shall contain a description of attempts made by the plaintiff, or any other person or entity, to notify the owner of the property on which the drug-related nuisance is situated and the resulting adverse impact thereof. No complaint shall be filed unless there has been at least one notice to the owner of the alleged drug-related nuisance 21 days prior to the filing of the complaint. Notice shall be served on the owner in accordance with the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. If personal service can not be made, service may be made by posting the papers at the property. (c) When an action is brought under this division by a private individual, the complaint shall be supported by at least five residents residing or owning real property within 1,000 feet of the premises alleged to be a drug-related nuisance. The support shall be in the form of an affidavit attesting to the fact that the residence of the affiant is within 1,000 feet of the alleged drug-related nuisance, and that the affiants have witnessed the alleged drug-related nuisance, and are aware of an adverse impact of the alleged drug-related nuisance.
Alabama Code § 6-5-155.3 establishes the procedural requirements for filing a complaint about a drug-related nuisance affecting a neighborhood. The complaint—or an attached affidavit—must describe specific types of adverse impact on the surrounding area, drawn from an enumerated list that includes things like diminished property values, increased police calls, loitering, and housing or health code violations. Before any complaint can be filed, the property owner must receive at least 21 days' advance written notice of the alleged nuisance, and private individuals bringing the action must secure supporting affidavits from at least five residents or property owners within 1,000 feet of the property.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 6-5-155.3, a property owner is entitled to at least 21 days' written notice before a drug-related nuisance complaint can be filed against their property, giving them an opportunity to address the alleged conditions before litigation begins. Operators who proactively monitor their properties for conditions listed in the statute—such as unsecured entryways, accumulation of trash, housing code violations, or loitering—and who document their remediation efforts are generally better positioned to respond to any notice they receive. Keeping records of communications with tenants, law enforcement, and local agencies about drug-related activity can be important context if a complaint is ever filed.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 6-5-155.3 is relevant to tenants because the adverse-impact conditions it lists—such as unreasonable noise, loitering, unsecured entryways, and health or housing code violations—are the same conditions that can form the basis of a nuisance complaint against a property. Tenants who are experiencing these conditions may have grounds to report them to local housing or health authorities, and those reports can themselves become part of the record referenced in a nuisance proceeding. Tenants who believe their building is being used as a drug-related nuisance, or who have received notice related to such a complaint, may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with Alabama's nuisance statutes to understand how the process may affect their tenancy.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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