The City of San Diego, California, enacted an ordinance requiring that vacant and boarded buildings immediately be rehabilitated because they pose several risks to the community including: facilitating illegal activity, creation of fire hazards, and threatening general public health and safety.

The Director of the Neighborhood Code Compliance Department or any other Director authorized by the City Manager may enforce the ordinance. Violations of the ordinance result in misdemeanors, injunctive relief, or civil damages. Upon the Director’s finding that a structure is vacant or unsecured, he must provide notice to the person responsible for the building. The notice shall require abatement of the condition by cleaning, boarding, or other means. If the person responsible does not comply with the notice, the Director has several options to alleviate the conditions himself, which must be paid for by the responsible party. In addition, the Director shall create and make available a form entitled "Statement of Intent" to be completed by the owner of the structure. The owner of a structure shall complete and submit the statement to the City within thirty days of the Director’s determination that the structure be boarded. Failure to comply by the owner is unlawful.