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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.

Across California, Health & Safety Receiverships are helping cities reclaim abandoned, dangerous, and substandard properties—without burdening taxpayers. This court-backed process allows a receiver to step in, rehabilitate or demolish unsafe structures, and restore neighborhood safety through private financing. It’s a proven solution that turns blight into community renewal while protecting public resources.

Across California, abandoned properties are more than an eyesore—they are a drain on city resources, a danger to neighbors, and a threat to community health. From broken windows and rodent infestations to fire hazards and unsecured access, these nuisance properties often spiral into public safety crises. Fortunately, the state’s Health & Safety Receivership remedy offers a proven way to reclaim abandoned properties in California and restore neighborhoods.

Recent data from ATTOM's April 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report highlights significant property foreclosure increases in several states, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to address the resulting public health and safety concerns.

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.