Blight

Blight affects all communities, and the City of Duncan works to address both the issues that cause blight as well as the impacts that result from blight throughout our community.  

Economic disinvestment in properties and the withdraw of industry increases unemployment and worker migration which leads to vacancy and deterioration.  The vacancies in turn reduce tax revenue for our community, which could result in reductions to public services.  Reductions in public services lead to further economic disinvestment which furthers the negative spiral of blight throughout the community.

Thankfully, the City of Duncan seeks to turn community blight into community benefit through proper code enforcement practices as prescribed by State Statute, local adopted codes and policies, and through partnerships with community members seeking to reinvest in the Duncan community.  

There are four main focus points for City of Duncan Code Enforcement Officers as they try to address blight throughout the community:

  • Trash & Weeds – the most common complaint from citizens is the general upkeep of properties in which there may or may not be residents
  • Dilapidated Structures – frequently abandoned structures due to fires, storm damage, structural issues, and even through foreclosure
  • Graffiti – more than just paint on a wall, messages may send an emotional statement of decline and strike fear in the hearts of our citizens
  • Inoperable Vehicles – flat tires, missing windshields, improper licenses and registrations, missing motors are just a few things that may deem a vehicle to be inoperable

Citizens are encouraged to assist in this process by utilizing the DunCAN app.


  1. Structural Blight

Before and After Photos of yards with blightOklahoma State Statute gives local governing bodies the ability to address blight within the community.  Most often, this local process starts by following State Statute 11-22-112.1 that addresses the boarding and securing of structures.  The Statute requires that due process is provided to the last known owner per county tax records and at least ten days is provided for corrective action to occur.

If work is not done, the property may be declared dilapidated and a common nuisance to the community and may be ordered to be boarded and secured.  This order is sent out as part of the local bid packet through Code Enforcement where the lowest and best bid is selected.  Boarded and secured structures may be declared as a dilapidated structure after 18 months of being a boarded-up structure.

Per State Statute, once the structure has been boarded and secured for 18 months it may be declared as a Dilapidated Structure.  A hearing, providing the last known owner of record per county tax records, is again provided due process to address the violations.  Failure to address the violations may result in the property being declared and an order to tear the structure down is sent out for bid.  The lowest and best bids are approved by City Council to provide an additional notice of a public hearing for any owner seeking to save their structures.

For 2023, the Department of Community Development and Code Enforcement plans to continue to address blight. Demolition contractors that are bonded/insured are invited to bid on multiple demolition projects for properties that have become public nuisances. Contact us to have a bid packet mailed to you or come to City Hall, 2nd Floor, to pick a packet up.

2022 

The Department of Community Development and Code Enforcement processed 58 “Board and Secure” cases in 2022.  In addition to those cases fourteen properties were declared dilapidated and ordered to be demolished.  The average cost of demolition in 2022 for a declared structure cost the City of Duncan approximately $3,969.00 per structure torn down by the City of Duncan.

For 2022, the Department ordered 15 properties to be torn down or a permit be pulled for reconstruction.  These are broken down as follows:

  • 11 structures removed by the City of Duncan
  • 1 structure torn down by owner at their expenses
  • 3 structures the owners pulled permits and started making necessary repairs.



  1. Trash & Weeds
  1. Graffiti
  1. Inoperable vehicles