Title
Discussion of an Enhanced Vacant Lot and Vacant Building Monitoring and Enforcement Program
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FileID
File ID: 2026-00507
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: 1) Receive a report on the City’s existing vacant lot program and vacant building programs with proposed enhancements; and 2) pass a Motion directing staff to prepare an ordinance for an enhanced vacant lot and vacant building registration, monitoring and enforcement program.
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Contact
Contact: Peter Lemos, Code and Housing Enforcement Chief, (916) 808-8183, plemos@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
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Presenter
Presenter: Peter Lemos, Code and Housing Enforcement Chief, (916) 808-8183, plemos@cityofsacramento.org, Community Development Department
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Proposed Vacant Lot and Building Monitoring and Enforcement
3-City Programs and Incentives Related to Vacant Properties
4-City Comparison of Registration Fees
5-Presentation - Vacant Properties
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The topic of vacant parcels and properties has been of interest in recent years due to concerns of blighted vacant properties, empty buildings and vacant storefronts, and a lack of development on vacant parcels over prolonged periods of time. The request for an enhanced vacant lot and vacant building registration, monitoring, and enforcement program has been discussed to address this citywide issue.
Enhanced Vacant Lot and Vacant Building Monitoring and Enforcement Program
The City of Sacramento’s Vacant Lot Program (Chapter 8.136) was adopted in 2018 to reduce blight and improve maintenance standards. The program requires annual registration, establishes nuisance monitoring fees, and sets standards for property upkeep. The adopted ordinance did not include staffing for monitoring or enforcement of the vacant lots.
On September 16, 2025, staff brought a discussion item to the Law and Legislation Committee to request direction on amendments to an Ordinance amending section 8.136 of the Sacramento City Code relating to enforcement measures and the monitoring of vacant lots. The committee provided direction for staff to review other jurisdictions vacant lot programs, determine the staffing needed to conduct monitoring and enforcement, use the fee study to determine the full cost recovery for registration, monitoring, and administrative hearings, to shorten the time for compliance and appeals, and to provide enhanced maintenance and enforcement standards. The committee also provided direction for staff to develop a registration, monitoring, and enforcement program for vacant buildings considering all best practices and staff recommendations.
The fee study is completed, and staff have identified several areas of the municipal code that will require modification. There are currently 5,112 vacant lots identified, 460 of the lots have received an exception to the registration fee. 2,514 are registered and approximately 160 have been declared a nuisance. Over 2,000 identified vacant lots are not registered and require enforcement actions. There are currently 165 open Vacant Building cases.
A proposed enhanced vacant lot and building monitoring and enforcement program is outlined in Attachment 3. Pending direction from the Law and Legislation Committee on the level of enforcement, staff would prepare an ordinance for an enhanced vacant lot and vacant building monitoring, registration, and enforcement program and return with an outlined ordinance as directed by the Committee.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: The consideration of additional incentives to develop or improve vacant properties and/or buildings is consistent with the following 2040 General Plan Policies:
• H-1.4 Facilitate Infill Housing Development. The City shall facilitate infill housing along commercial corridors, near employment centers, near high-frequency transit areas, and in all zones that allow residential development as a way to revitalize commercial corridors, promote walkability and increased transit ridership, and provide increased housing options.
• LUP-4.15 Vacant Property. The City shall develop regulations, mechanisms, programs, or incentives to facilitate the development or temporary active use of vacant buildings and property.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: The requirement to register, monitor and maintain vacant properties may incentivize property owners to develop or sell the properties leading to a reduction in crime, community blight, and dangerous conditions, and could increase property values, City revenue, economic growth, and community pride.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: The request for discussion of incentives to develop or improve vacant lots and/or buildings consists of an administrative activity such as general policy making and is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), per Guidelines Section 15378 (b)(4) and 15378(b)(5).
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Development of infill properties is in alignment with smart growth principles and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to increased proximity of housing, jobs, and services.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: The Law and Legislation Committee, at its September 16, 2025, meeting, provided direction to staff to conduct further research on similar existing models elsewhere. The city evaluated 9 jurisdictions to look at fees and best practices and to complete the fee study to determine the cost for different levels of service. The fee study was completed to determine the cost for the city to provide the service of registration, and monitoring. The program cost will be determined by the level of service the final program requires.
At the March 7th, 2023, meeting, direction was provided to staff to look at other jurisdictions programs related to vacant lots and bring back suggestions for an enhanced ordinance.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: An enhanced code enforcement program has the potential to spark the economic development or activation of many vacant lots or buildings; to address blight, dangerous conditions, and safety in the community, these objectives fall within the City Council’s priorities
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: An enhanced monitoring and enforcement program will require new and increased regulatory fees to fully offset its costs. Staff will use the fee study to determine the cost for full cost recovery for registration, monitoring, and enforcement of vacant properties.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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