Cal. Civ. Code § 17982
California Health and Safety Code
Operative Text
If any notice or order issued by an enforcement agency is not complied with within a reasonable time as specified in such notice or order the enforcement agency may apply to the superior court for an order authorizing it to remove any violation or abate any nuisance specified in the notice or order.
California Health & Safety Code § 17982 establishes a legal pathway that allows an enforcement agency to seek court intervention when a property owner or responsible party does not address a cited violation or nuisance within the timeframe set out in an official notice or order. Rather than acting unilaterally, the agency must petition the superior court for authorization before taking steps to remove the violation or abate the nuisance. The provision effectively gives the court a gatekeeping role between an unresolved enforcement notice and any agency-directed remediation action.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17982, when an enforcement agency issues a notice or order, the deadline stated in that document is not merely advisory — failure to comply within the specified timeframe can trigger a formal court process. Compliant operators generally treat the response deadline in any agency notice as a firm target, document all remediation steps taken, and communicate progress to the issuing agency before that window closes. Keeping records of completed repairs and correspondence with the enforcement agency is a practice commonly associated with avoiding escalation to superior court proceedings.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Cal. Health & Safety Code § 17982 is relevant to tenants because it describes what an enforcement agency can do when a landlord ignores an official order to fix a violation or abate a nuisance — namely, seek a superior court order to have the problem corrected. If a tenant has reported a habitability or code issue to a local enforcement agency and the landlord has not complied with the resulting notice, this provision represents one avenue through which the agency itself may pursue correction. Tenants who want to understand how this process applies to their building can reach out to their local code enforcement office, a tenant-rights organization, or a legal aid provider for general information.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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