ARTICLE 7. Public Nuisances [4171. - 4181.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 7.

in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4171. Section 4171.

Any condition endangering public safety by creating a fire hazard and which exists upon any property which is included within any state reponsibility area is a public nuisance.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4172. Section 4172.

If the director determines that a public nuisance, as defined in Section 4171, exists, the director shall notify the owner of the property to abate the public nuisance. If the owner is unknown, a copy of the notice shall be posted upon the property.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4173. Section 4173.

The board shall establish standards, based upon its determination of conditions which create an unreasonable hazard to life or property from fire, for what constitutes a hazardous condition in those instances not covered by state law. Such standards shall be established for each of the department’s administrative districts after public hearing for which ample publicity is given.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4174. Section 4174.

The notice shall be in writing and shall do all of the following: (a) Describe the public nuisance. (b) Specify the time within which the property owner is required to abate the public nuisance. (c) State that, unless the public nuisance is abated within the time specified in the notice, the department may abate the public nuisance and the costs of the abatement will be assessed against the property. (d) State that the property owner may, within 15 days after the receipt or posting of the notice, request a hearing before the director upon whether or not a public nuisance actually exists.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4175. Section 4175.

If a property owner requests a hearing, the director shall fix a time and a place for the hearing and notify the property owner. At the time and place of the hearing, the property owner may appear and be heard upon the question of whether or not a public nuisance actually exists upon property that the property owner owns. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11180) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4176. Section 4176.

If the director determines, at the conclusion of the hearing, that a public nuisance actually exists upon property owned by the property owner, the director shall order the property owner to abate the public nuisance within a specified time.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4177. Section 4177.

If the public nuisance is not abated within the time specified in the notice to the property owner pursuant to Section 4172 or, if a hearing is not requested by the property owner, within the time specified in the order made by the director pursuant to Section 4176, the department may abate the public nuisance.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4178. Section 4178.

Any costs which are incurred by the department in abating any public nuisance pursuant to this article are a lien upon the property upon which the public nuisance existed when notice of the lien is filed and recorded as provided in Section 4179.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4179. Section 4179.

Notice of the lien, particularly identifying the property on which the nuisance was abated and the amount of such lien, and naming the owner of record of such property, shall be recorded by the department in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is situated within one year after the first item of expenditures by the department or within 90 days after the completion of the work, whichever first occurs. Upon such recordation of the notice of lien, the lien shall have the same force, effect, and priority as a judgment lien, except that it shall attach only to the property described in such notice, and shall continue for 10 years from the time of recording of such notice unless sooner released or otherwise discharged.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4179.5. Section 4179.5.

The Attorney General may at any time release all or any portion of the property subject to a lien imposed pursuant to Sections 4178 and 4179 from the lien or subordinate the lien to other liens and encumbrances if the Attorney General determines that the amount owed is sufficiently secured by a lien on other property or that the release or subordination of the lien will not jeopardize the collection of the amount owed. A certificate by the Attorney General to the effect that any property has been released from the lien or that the lien has been subordinated to other liens and encumbrances shall be conclusive evidence that the property has been released or that the lien has been subordinated as provided in the certificate.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4180. Section 4180.

An action to foreclose the lien shall be commenced by the Attorney General in the name of the people of the State of California within six months after the lien is filed and recorded.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4181. Section 4181.

When the property is sold, enough of the proceeds to satisfy the lien and the costs of the foreclosure shall be paid to the state. The surplus, if any, shall be paid to the owner of the property, if known, or if the property owner is not known, shall be paid into the court in which the lien was foreclosed for the use of the owner when the property owner is ascertained.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026