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Nuisance and dilapidated properties often place a significant burden on public safety agencies. Fire departments responding to incidents at vacant or unsafe structures can incur thousands of dollars per call, depending on the severity and resources required. These costs cover personnel time, apparatus use, equipment wear, and liability risk. Repeated calls due to fires, squatting, overdoses, or hazardous conditions can result in annual emergency response costs of thousands of dollars in high-impact areas, overwhelming city resources that could be directed toward other areas.

The receivership remedy offers cities a structured way to intervene before these costs spiral further. By appointing a receiver to handle the work under court supervision, abatement costs come out of the property’s equity rather than burdening the city’s resources or taxpayers.   

Costs of Fire Damage from Nuisance Properties 

Structure Fires in Vacant Buildings 

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), U.S. fire departments respond to about 30,000 structure fires in vacant buildings annually, with an average of 60 deaths, 160 injuries and $710 million in direct property damage reported per year. 

One in five structure fires in vacant buildings are intentionally set, increasing risk to surrounding areas and first responders. Appointing a court receiver to stabilize and secure these structures helps reduce this risk before emergency response becomes necessary. 

Cost Per Incident 

The average cost of a single structure fire response: $5,000-$250,000 depending on the severity of the damage (not including loss of property value or potential lawsuits). 

The Financial Drain of Prolonged Code Enforcement 

Code enforcement costs can escalate quickly when dealing with repeat-offender nuisance properties. Each inspection can cost municipalities between $300 and $600, and follow-up enforcement actions, including hearings and legal filings, can significantly add to the total. Civil penalties may reach $1,000 per day per violation, with maximums of $50,000 to $125,000 annually, depending on local codes and state authority. Cumulatively, cities may spend $10,000 to $30,000 or more per year per property just to monitor and manage non-compliance—even without resolving the underlying issues. 

Code Enforcement Costs 

Annual Municipal Spending 

Cities can spend $1,000 to $5,000+ per year per property for repeat inspections, citations, legal action, and nuisance abatement. Staff time spent on repeat violators and unresolved properties significantly inflates departmental budgets. 

Legal and Administrative Costs 

When properties remain out of compliance, cities often spend tens of thousands pursuing civil remedies through administrative hearings and court proceedings. 

Appointing court receivers often streamlines this process, reducing long-term enforcement costs and legal delays.  

Emergency Response Costs: Police & Fire Response to Nuisance Properties 

Fire Department Responses 

Fire department calls to unsafe properties cost in the thousands per call, not including personnel hours. For long-standing properties that experience multiple calls for service, the costs add up.  

Ambulance/EMS Use 

Frequent calls related to overdoses, violence, or unsanitary conditions can result in thousands per month in unreimbursed EMS services. 

How Health & Safety Receiverships Reduce These Costs 

Health and Safety Receiverships provide a proactive, court-supervised remedy for these high-cost properties: 

Court receivers provide cities with a structured, legally supported mechanism to resolve long-term blight. By placing properties into receivership, cities can reduce emergency calls, bring properties into compliance, and shift the cost burden away from taxpayers. 

Case Study: Fresno, CA 

Reduction in Code Enforcement and Fire Department Calls 

The Fresno Multi-Jurisdictional Housing Element (2023–2031) reports that the city has utilized receiverships to rehabilitate numerous properties, leading to a 42% decrease in code enforcement calls and a reduction of over 50% in fire department responses for those parcels. 

If your city is dealing with high-cost nuisance properties, the Griswold Receivers team can help. Whether you’re in California, Arizona, Nevada, or elsewhere,  contact us to see how we can reduce public costs and bring problem properties into compliance as an experienced court receiver.