What makes a building "unsafe"?

An unsafe building is one with structural defects, fire hazards, health hazards, or other condition posing substantial risk to occupants or the public; specific criteria are defined by the adopted building and maintenance codes.

How do I report an unsafe property in Colorado Springs?

Contact the City of Colorado Springs Building Safety or Code Compliance office to submit a complaint; the city will prioritize hazards that threaten life or public safety.

Can the city demolish my building without notice?

The city generally issues notices and an opportunity to remedy before demolition, except where immediate danger requires emergency abatement; procedures and rights are described in the municipal code and Building Safety rules.

Colorado Springs Property Maintenance & Unsafe Buildings

Public Safety Colorado 3 Minutes Read · published February 08, 2026

Colorado Springs, Colorado maintains local property maintenance standards and unsafe-structure procedures to protect public safety, health, and neighborhood character. This guide explains how the city defines unsafe buildings, how notices are issued and enforced under the municipal code, the departments responsible for inspections and complaints, and practical steps owners and residents can take when a property is declared unsafe or in violation.

Overview of Standards & Authority

Property condition, maintenance, and hazardous structure rules are enforced under the City's adopted municipal code and building codes. The municipal code incorporates minimum maintenance and nuisance provisions; the Building Safety division enforces unsafe-structure determinations and orders. For the controlling ordinance text see the City of Colorado Springs municipal code online^[1].

Penalties & Enforcement

The City enforces maintenance and unsafe-building rules through inspections, notice orders, abatement, and civil or criminal penalties. Specific fines and daily penalties are set in the municipal code or applicable enforcement resolutions; where the code text on the municipal code site does not list numeric fines for a given violation, the amount is not specified on the cited page^[1]. Enforcement commonly follows an inspect-notify-abate sequence.

Enforcer: Building Safety division and Code Compliance (nuisance/property maintenance).
Inspection: Complaints and proactive inspections lead to written notice of violations and a remedial period.
Order: Unsafe building notices may require repair, securing, or demolition where hazards exist.
Fines: Exact penalty amounts are not specified on the cited municipal code page; consult the code or enforcement office for current schedules.^[1]
Escalation: Continued noncompliance can result in escalating enforcement including civil penalties, abatement by the city with cost recovery, liens, and court action; specific escalation amounts or day rates are not specified on the cited page.^[1]

City inspectors will generally issue a written notice with a deadline before abatement is pursued.

Applications & Forms

The municipal pages list forms for building permits and some enforcement procedures; however, a single, standardized "unsafe building" form is not published in the municipal code text itself and specific application names or form numbers are not specified on the cited municipal code page.^[1] Contact Building Safety for permit or appeal forms.

Common Violations and Typical Remedies

Structural hazards (unsafe walls, roofs): repair, secure, or demolition order.
Accumulation of refuse or hazardous materials: cleanup orders and potential abatement by city.
Failure to maintain exterior elements (windows, doors, siding): required repairs or permits.
Unpermitted alterations that create danger: stop-work orders and remediation requirements.

How Enforcement Works - Process, Appeals, and Time Limits

Enforcement follows inspection, notice, and remedial timeframe. Notices typically set a compliance deadline; if the owner fails to act the city may abate hazards and recover costs. The municipal code and Building Safety rules describe appeal rights and timelines where available; when the municipal code page does not give a specific appeal period the appeal time limit is not specified on the cited page and you must request the procedural deadline from Building Safety or Code Compliance.^[1]

Owners should act quickly on a notice because delays can increase costs and risk abatement actions.

Action Steps for Property Owners and Residents

Respond promptly to any written notice and read the specific compliance steps and deadlines.
If repairs require permits, apply through Building Safety before starting work.
If you disagree, file an appeal or request an administrative hearing per the code instructions; check with Building Safety for deadlines.
Report dangers or unsafe structures to the city’s complaint intake if immediate danger exists.

FAQ

What makes a building "unsafe"?: An unsafe building is one with structural defects, fire hazards, health hazards, or other condition posing substantial risk to occupants or the public; specific criteria are defined by the adopted building and maintenance codes.
How do I report an unsafe property in Colorado Springs?: Contact the City of Colorado Springs Building Safety or Code Compliance office to submit a complaint; the city will prioritize hazards that threaten life or public safety.
Can the city demolish my building without notice?: The city generally issues notices and an opportunity to remedy before demolition, except where immediate danger requires emergency abatement; procedures and rights are described in the municipal code and Building Safety rules.

How-To

Document the hazard with photos and notes about location and visible risk.
Contact Building Safety or Code Compliance to file a complaint and provide the documentation.
Follow any inspector instructions and meet compliance deadlines in the written notice.
If you receive a notice and disagree, submit an appeal or hearing request within the code-prescribed timeframe.
Pay any assessed fines or charges or arrange a payment plan if allowed after final determination.

Key Takeaways

Respond quickly to notices to avoid abatement costs.
Permits may be required for repairs; consult Building Safety.
Report urgent hazards immediately to city authorities.