Cal. Civ. Code § 36-7-9-4
Unsafe buildings and unsafe premises described
Operative Text
Sec. 4. (a) For purposes of this chapter, a building or structure, or any part of a building or structure, that is: (1) in an impaired structural condition that makes it unsafe to a person or property; (2) a fire hazard; (3) a hazard to the public health; (4) a public nuisance; (5) dangerous to a person or property because of a violation of a statute or ordinance concerning building condition or maintenance; or (6) vacant or blighted and not maintained in a manner that would allow human habitation, occupancy, or use under the requirements of a statute or an ordinance; is considered an unsafe building. (b) For purposes of this chapter, the following are considered unsafe premises: (1) An unsafe building and the tract of real property on which the unsafe building is located. (2) A tract of real property, not including land used for production agriculture, that does not contain a building or structure or contains a building or structure that is not considered an unsafe building, if the tract of real property is: (A) a fire hazard; (B) a hazard to public health; (C) a public nuisance; or (D) dangerous to a person or property because of a violation of a statute or an ordinance. As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.28. Amended by P.L.14-1991, SEC.9; P.L.66-2005, SEC.1; P.L.66-2014, SEC.26; P.L.164-2019, SEC.6.
Indiana Code § 36-7-9-4 establishes the legal definitions of 'unsafe building' and 'unsafe premises' for purposes of Indiana's unsafe building law. A building qualifies as unsafe when it poses structural dangers, fire hazards, public health risks, or constitutes a public nuisance, or when it is vacant or blighted and unfit for habitation. 'Unsafe premises' extends that concept to include the land surrounding an unsafe building, as well as vacant lots or properties without unsafe buildings that nonetheless present fire, health, nuisance, or legal-violation hazards.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ind. Code § 36-7-9-4, property owners and managers are generally expected to maintain buildings and the surrounding land in a condition that avoids the categories listed in the statute — including structural soundness, fire safety, public health compliance, and adherence to applicable building codes and ordinances. Operators of vacant or blighted properties should be aware that such properties can independently qualify as unsafe buildings even without active occupants. Compliance-minded operators typically conduct regular inspections and address code violations promptly to avoid a property being designated as unsafe under this chapter.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ind. Code § 36-7-9-4 provides tenants with a legal framework for understanding when a building or property may be formally classified as unsafe under Indiana law. If a tenant believes their building meets one of the conditions described — such as structural impairment, fire hazard, or public health risk — they may have grounds to raise that classification in relevant proceedings or report conditions to the appropriate local enforcement authority. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how this definition interacts with other protections and what general options exist for addressing unsafe conditions.
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 14, 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.