SDCI Customer Service Options

Most services are available online through our Virtual Applicant Services Center. For customers who need language assistance or technical assistance accessing the Virtual ASC, we have an SDCI information desk on the 4th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower. We offer limited access to our offices for scheduled public meetings.

Vacant Buildings

What Is It?

A brown with grey hair woman in front of a vacant house with a question mark in a thought bubble. Vacant buildings in Seattle must be secured and maintained to prevent unauthorized entry and deterioration from the weather. Our Housing and Building Maintenance Code contains the City’s Vacant Building Maintenance standards.

We may add vacant buildings to our Vacant Building Monitoring Program if:

The owner does not bring them into compliance after a complaint
The vacant building has multiple complaints
The vacant building is in the development process
We receive a complaint by SPD or SFD

We inspect these buildings on a monthly basis and charge owners fees ranging from $271.85 to $542.60 per month depending on the condition of the building. Properties must have no violations for three consecutive monthly inspections to be removed from the program. We encourage owners to explore ways to keep buildings occupied while waiting for their permits to be issued.

If a vacant building becomes so deteriorated that it poses a danger to the public, we may seek an order allowing abatement – a court order granting us permission to enter onto the property and demolish the building. Before asking for a court order, we send a notice to the property owner and provide an opportunity for a hearing.

What It Isn’t

This ordinance does not cover:

Unauthorized or criminal activity, squatters, or vagrants in vacant buildings; contact the Seattle Police Department at (206) 625-5011 (non-emergency) or 911
Graffiti; contact Seattle Public Utilities graffiti prevention and removal program
Rodent (e.g., rat) infestation; contact the Seattle-King County Health Department at (206) 296-0100
Vacant commercial buildings are handled first by the Seattle Fire Department; contact us if the Fire Department doesn’t have the authority to address an issue

Rules to Follow

Our ordinance requires that you:

Keep your vacant building in good repair, secured from unauthorized entry, and protected from the weather
Keep the grounds free of junk, parked cars, and overgrown vegetation
Remove deteriorating or unsafe building parts, such as staircases that may pose a danger to firefighters or other city personnel

Read the Code

Read the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) sections on the vacant building standards SMC 22.206.200 and unfit building standards SMC 22.208.

Fines

Violations of the code may result in fines starting at $150 per day. Our vacant building monitoring fees range from $271.85 to $542.60 per month. If we have to board up or demolish a vacant building at the City’s expense, we will seek reimbursement and a tax lien may be placed on your property to recover those costs.