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A nuisance property is a problem for neighborhoods, including both the closest neighbors and the community as a whole.

The foreclosure crisis that affected the entire nation during the economic downturn of 2007-2009 created another crisis: an urban landscape filled with vacant and abandoned properties. While residential properties were empty because of foreclosures, commercial properties were abandoned because of the economic struggles of business owners. This, of course, raised the risk of vacant building fires.

Abandoned properties don’t resolve themselves. California has several laws governing the management of distressed properties, including the role that court-appointed receivers can play in the rehabilitation of such properties. A court-appointed receiver is a neutral third party whose role it is to manage real property that is in distress or disputed between multiple parties.

Do you have concerns about a property in your neighborhood that seems to be deteriorating? Are you a city official who is trying to address dangerous properties in your town? Or perhaps you are an attorney representing a community that is trying to take care of distressed properties. There are clear signs that a property may be considered “distressed,” and there are many stakeholders who are concerned about these properties. If you are one of those concerned parties, this article will help you recognize the signs of a distressed property and how to address them.

Abandoned and blighted properties are a difficult reality for countless communities. If these problem properties are not dealt with quickly, they can become a perfect environment for criminal behavior, health risks, nuisance animals and pests, and fire.

The story of an abandoned property does not always start with the owner of the property packing up and walking away. Often, these properties belonged to someone who is now deceased and next of kin either can’t be found or doesn’t exist.