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San Joaquin · Foreclosure & auctions

Foreclosure and auctions in San Joaquin

San Joaquin requires registration of any building vacant or expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days, at no cost, and sets upkeep and security duties for all vacant buildings. Foreclosure timing and sale rules come from state law.

Key points

  • Registration: City rule: register any building that has been or is expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days, including a local contact.
  • Fee: City rule: registering a vacant building costs nothing.
  • Cleanup deadlines: City rule: remove exterior trash and debris within 72 hours of notification, and graffiti within 48 hours of placement.
  • Exterior: City rule: keep the building exterior in good condition; painted surfaces need at least 95% coverage.
  • Security: City rule: keep windows and doors locked, replace broken ones, and do not use opaque boarding, typically plywood, where visible from a public right-of-way.
  • State timeline: State law: at least 3 months from notice of default to notice of sale, which is posted at least 20 days before the sale.

Each rule below is marked San Joaquin code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Registering vacant and foreclosed homes

San Joaquin code What San Joaquin's code adds
Local contact
  • The registration must include a local contact.
    Applies: Applies to any building that has been or is expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days.
    § 101.03 · code text
    The registration shall include the identity of all record owners, the street address of the vacant building, and a local contact, and shall be maintained only for internal use by the city and law enforcement working for the city.
Upkeep duties
  • Keep yards visible from public rights-of-way and adjacent properties safe and sanitary. Control overgrowth. Keep park-strip landscaping trimmed, live and healthy, subject to the water-rationing exception.
    Applies: Applies to all vacant buildings.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Maintain all yards visible from any public right-of-way, including interior yards visible from adjacent properties to be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition, including keeping all plant materials controlled to avoid overgrowth as defined in this chapter;
  • Keep the building exterior in good condition, including paint, finishes, roofing, siding, stucco, masonry, railings, steps, gutters and structural elements. Painted surfaces need at least 95% coverage.
    Applies: Applies to any vacant building.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Painted surfaces shall be deemed in good condition if there is at least 95% coverage of the structural element that is painted.
  • Remove exterior trash and debris within 72 hours of notification.
    Applies: Applies to all vacant buildings.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Remove all trash and debris from exterior of the property within 72 hours of notification.
  • Take reasonable steps to prevent criminal activity, including controlled-substance use and sale, prostitution and criminal street gang activity. Examples: monitored alarms, cameras and frequent physical inspections.
    Applies: Applies to any vacant building.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent criminal activity, including, but not limited to, the use and sale of controlled substances, prostitution, and criminal street gang activity, on the premises.
  • Secure the structure and grounds against trespassers: keep windows and doors locked, replace broken ones, and secure accessible openings.
    Applies: Applies to all vacant buildings.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Secure and maintain the property, both structure and grounds, against trespassers, including maintaining all windows and doors with locks, replacing all broken doors or windows, and securing any other openings into the structure that are readily accessible to.
  • Opaque boarding materials, typically plywood, may not be used where visible from a public right-of-way.
    Applies: Applies to windows and openings visible from a public right-of-way.
    § 101.04 · code text
    No opaque (typically plywood) boarding materials shall be used where visible from a public right-of-way following 60 days of the effective date of this chapter.
  • Remove graffiti within 48 hours of placement.
    Applies: Applies to all vacant buildings.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Remove all graffiti on the property within 48 hours of placement on the property.
  • Keep the property free of fire hazards.
    Applies: Applies to all vacant buildings.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Maintain the property free of all fire hazards.
  • Keep the property free of attractive nuisances.
    Applies: Applies to all vacant buildings.
    § 101.04 · code text
    Maintain the property free of any attractive nuisance, as defined in Chapter 97 of this Code.
Registration fee
  • At no cost.
    § 101.03 · code text
    All buildings that have been or are expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days shall be registered, at no cost, with the city.
Registration
  • Required.
    Applies: Applies to buildings that have been or are expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days.
    § 101.03 · code text
    All buildings that have been or are expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days shall be registered, at no cost, with the city.

Foreclosure steps and deadlines

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Time between notice of default and sale: At least three months after the notice of default is recorded before notice of sale; the sale itself no earlier than three months and 20 days after the notice of default (Civ. Code § 2924(a)(2), (a)(4)). Notice of trustee's sale: Posted, published and recorded at least 20 days before the sale (Civ. Code § 2924f(b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Homeowner protections

CA state law California law sets this statewide. No foreclosure while a loan modification is pending: If a complete first-lien modification application is submitted at least five business days before a sale, the servicer may not record a notice of default or sale, or hold the sale, while it is pending (Civ. Code § 2923.6(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

The trustee's sale (auction)

CA state law California law sets this statewide. When and where sales are held: At public auction in the county where the property is, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a business day (Civ. Code § 2924g(a)(1)). Tenant and owner-occupant priority after a sale (SB 1079): On 1–4 unit property, a trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible tenant buyers and eligible bidders who give notice of intent may bid within 45 days (Civ. Code § 2924m(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Tenants in a foreclosed home

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Tenants in a foreclosed property: A month-to-month tenant must get at least 90 days' written notice to quit; a tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay to the end of the lease (Code Civ. Proc. § 1161b(a), (b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Debt after the sale

CA state law California law sets this statewide. No deficiency after a trustee's sale: After a nonjudicial trustee's sale, the lender cannot collect any shortfall from the borrower (Code Civ. Proc. § 580d(a)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Who this affects

Homeowners behind on a loanBuyers of bank-owned homesLenders and servicers

Frequently asked questions

Must a lender or owner register a vacant or foreclosed home in San Joaquin?

City rule: register any building that has been or is expected to be vacant for longer than 30 days, including a local contact. City rule: registering a vacant building costs nothing. City rule: remove exterior trash and debris within 72 hours of notification, and graffiti within 48 hours of placement. City rule: keep the building exterior in good condition; painted surfaces need at least 95% coverage. City rule: keep windows and doors locked, replace broken ones, and do not use opaque boarding, typically plywood, where visible from a public right-of-way.

General information, not legal advice.

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