Relating to the jurisdiction of municipal courts over health and safety and nuisance abatement ordinances.

Contracts

• Commercial Leases (NNN): Amend Triple Net leases to explicitly define "nuisance abatement" and violations of LGC Ch. 214 (Dangerous Structures) or Transportation Code Ch. 683 (Junked Vehicles) as tenant defaults. Indemnification clauses must cover municipal demolition liens.
• Lending Agreements: Lenders must update loan covenants to classify Municipal Court nuisance citations as events of default, triggering early intervention rights before the asset is seized or demolished.
• Vendor Agreements: Construction and waste management contracts require strict indemnification for debris or equipment storage that triggers "public nuisance" citations.

Hiring/Training

• Mailroom & Reception: Train staff to immediately escalate any correspondence from "Municipal Court" or "Code Enforcement." These can no longer be treated as simple administrative tickets; they are now potential precursors to asset seizure.
• Facility Management: Site managers must be trained on "curb appeal" liability. If a violation is visible from the public right-of-way, it establishes probable cause for a search warrant.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Abatement Logs: Create a centralized log of all code enforcement interactions. You must document remedial actions to defend against "failure to abate" claims in court.
• Vehicle Inventory: Automotive and salvage businesses must maintain real-time records proving vehicles on-site are active projects (work orders, current registration) to prevent classification as "junked vehicles" subject to seizure.
• Permit Management: Ensure all renovation permits are active and displayed. An expired permit on a stalled site is a primary trigger for a "dangerous structure" warrant.

Fees & Costs

• Demolition Liens: The law allows cities to assess the cost of demolition and cleanup against the property owner. These costs attach as a priority lien on the real estate.
• Uninsurable Losses: Review policies immediately. Most Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies exclude losses resulting from government ordinance enforcement or seizure.