Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 657A.1 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026

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As used in this chapter, unless context requires otherwise:

1. “Abandoned” or “abandonment” means that a building is vacant, or is occupied only by trespassers, and in violation of the housing code or building code of the city in which the property is located or the housing code or building code applicable in the county in which the property is located if outside the limits of a city.

2. “Abate” or “abatement” in connection with property means the removal or correction of hazardous conditions deemed to constitute a public nuisance or the making of improvements needed to effect a rehabilitation of the property consistent with maintaining safe and habitable conditions over the remaining useful life of the property. However, the closing or boarding up of a building or structure that is found to be a public nuisance is not an abatement of the nuisance.

3. “Building” means a building or structure located in a city or outside the limits of a city in a county, which is used or intended to be used for commercial or industrial purposes or which is used or intended to be used for residential purposes and includes a building or structure in which some floors may be used for retail stores, shops, salesrooms, markets, or similar commercial uses, or for offices, banks, civic administration activities, professional services, or similar business or civic uses, and other floors are used, designed, or intended to be used for residential purposes. “Building” does not include a mobile home, a modular home, and a manufactured home as defined in section 435.1, unless the mobile home or manufactured home has been converted to real estate pursuant to section 435.26.

4. “Interested person” means an owner, mortgagee, lienholder, or other person that possesses an interest of record or an interest otherwise provable in property that becomes subject to the jurisdiction of the court pursuant to this chapter, the city in which the property is located, the county in which the property is located if the property is located outside the limits of a city, and an applicant for the appointment as receiver pursuant to this chapter.

5. “Neighboring landowner” means an owner of property which is located within five hundred feet of property that becomes subject to the jurisdiction of the court pursuant to this chapter.

6. “Owner” includes a person who is purchasing property by land installment contract or under a duly executed purchase contract.

7. “Public nuisance” means a building that is a menace to the public health, welfare, or safety, or that is structurally unsafe, unsanitary, or not provided with adequate safe egress, or that constitutes a fire hazard, or is otherwise dangerous to human life, or that in relation to the existing use constitutes a hazard to the public health, welfare, or safety by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, or abandonment.

8. “Responsible building official” or “official” means the person appointed by the city or,\n\nTue Dec 09 21:57:58 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 657A (30, 0) §657A.1, ABANDONED OR UNSAFE BUILDINGS — ABATEMENT BY REHABILITATION 2\n\nif the building is outside the limits of a city, the county, to enforce its building codes and regulations in general or to enforce this chapter in particular. 85 Acts, ch 222, §1; 86 Acts, ch 1059, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1204, §27; 2015 Acts, ch 136, §49, 54, 55; 2019 Acts, ch 105, §3, 4; 2020 Acts, ch 1063, §367 Referred to in §404.3B, 446.19B, 448.13 \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 2016–2025 · leading case: City of Monroe v. Dustin M. Nicol & Michelle R. Street, 898 N.W.2d 899 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).

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City of Monroe v. Dustin M. Nicol & Michelle R. Street, 898 N.W.2d 899 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “” Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). The legislature has provided a list of factors the court must consider in determining whether a building is abandoned.”

Chemsol, LLC v. City of Sibley, 386 F. Supp. 3d 1000 (N.D. Iowa 2019). · cites it 2× “A property is considered abandoned when "a building has remained vacant and has been in violation of the housing code or building code of the city in which the property is located .”

City of Harlan, Iowa v. Walter Rogers (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). In this case, the city of Harlan has been exceedingly patient with Rogers.”

City of Burlington v. Schoof (Iowa Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). These buildings were not vacant, so the City had to prove that the Schoofs were trespassers.”

City of Donnellson, Iowa v. Julie Walljasper (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “” Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). And to guide our inquiry, we consider: (1) whether property taxes are delinquent; (2) if the house has utilities; (3) whether the house is occupied; (4) whether the house satisfies the City’s housing and building codes for being fit for habitation,…”

State of Iowa v. Charles Aaron Amble & John Joseph Mandracchia (Iowa 2025). “§ 657A.1 (abandoned buildings). 3We adhere to the constitutional avoidance doctrine and refrain from addressing the constitutionality of the remaining language in Iowa Code section 808.”

— Iowa Code § 657A.1(1) — 5 cases

City of Monroe v. Dustin M. Nicol & Michelle R. Street, 898 N.W.2d 899 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017). “” Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). The legislature has provided a list of factors the court must consider in determining whether a building is abandoned.”

Chemsol, LLC v. City of Sibley, 386 F. Supp. 3d 1000 (N.D. Iowa 2019). “A property is considered abandoned when "a building has remained vacant and has been in violation of the housing code or building code of the city in which the property is located .”

City of Harlan, Iowa v. Walter Rogers (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). “See Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). In this case, the city of Harlan has been exceedingly patient with Rogers.”

City of Burlington v. Schoof (Iowa Ct. App. 2025). “Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). These buildings were not vacant, so the City had to prove that the Schoofs were trespassers.”

City of Donnellson, Iowa v. Julie Walljasper (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “” Iowa Code § 657A.1(1). And to guide our inquiry, we consider: (1) whether property taxes are delinquent; (2) if the house has utilities; (3) whether the house is occupied; (4) whether the house satisfies the City’s housing and building codes for being fit for habitation,…”

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