RESTRICT ENTRY · PROTECT PROOF · KEEP CONTROL

Secure every opening.Preserve every option.

A private field workspace for an open or vulnerable vacant house—triaging danger, inventorying every accessible opening, controlling the vendor scope and maintaining a repeatable inspection record.

No address or owner name requiredNothing stored or submittedOfficial sources reviewed Sep. 2026

Active entry, fire, gas, exposed electrical or collapse risk? Call 9-1-1 or the controlling authority. Do not enter, confront anyone or send an ordinary board-up crew into an unsafe scene.

Triage first
THE SECURING ORDER

Restrict → record → scope → verify → maintain.

01

Restrict

Keep people out of danger and respect authority control.

02

Record

Capture notices, exterior condition and every opening.

03

Scope

Define method, access, constraints, price and closeout.

04

Verify

Match completed work to each numbered opening.

05

Maintain

Reinspect after activity, weather and on schedule.

ROOM 01 · SECURE-NOW TRIAGE

Separate emergency response from owner work.

Choose only what you can observe safely from outside. Do not enter a suspect structure to finish this worksheet.

Use City Code Compliance / Development Services instructions and the exact notice. Chapter 6-172 specifically addresses unsecured, unoccupied buildings.

BeforeAll elevations, each opening, postings, meters and existing damage
DuringApproved scope, vendor identity, changes, hidden damage and authority contacts
AfterSame viewpoints, close-ups, invoice, exceptions, recheck date and access log
ROOM 02 · EVERY-OPENING INVENTORY

One opening missed can defeat the whole board-up.

Inventory doors, windows, attached garages, roof/crawl openings, damaged walls and accessible accessory structures. Measurements are quote inputs—not fastening or engineering instructions.

OPEN2
ASSIGNED1
SECURED / RECHECK0
MEASURED AREA145 ft²
ENTERED QUOTES$185
01
02
03

Do not measure where glass, collapse, electrical, fire, animal, criminal-entry or other hazards make approach unsafe. Ask a qualified vendor or authority to scope it.

ROOM 03 · VENDOR SCOPE CONTROL

Buy a documented result—not “some plywood.”

A quote should identify the exact openings, approved method, site constraints, exclusions and closeout proof. Do not rely on this organizer as a construction specification.

ROOM 04 · RECURRING EXTERIOR INSPECTION

A board-up is a condition to maintain—not a completed event.

Use after severe weather, any report of activity and on the frequency required by the notice, insurer, lender, registration program or risk—not merely once a month.

ROOM 05 · NOTICE CONTROL

Calendar the document you actually received.

San Antonio Code §6-172 describes a ten-day period after receipt for its Notice to Secure, but other orders, emergency actions, hearings, insurers and jurisdictions can use different timing. Enter the exact text; this calculator does not set your legal deadline.

WORKING CALENDAR DATEFri, Sep 11, 2026

City Notice to Secure · 10 entered days. Verify service, time-counting rules, holidays, appeal/hearing terms and any earlier emergency authority.

AFTER THE HOUSE IS SECURE

Choose the next property track deliberately.

Temporary securing controls immediate access. It does not stop carrying costs or resolve the building’s future.

TRACK 1

Stabilize + hold

Use when lawful occupancy or redevelopment has a funded, dated plan. Add insurance, utilities, landscape, pest, tax, registration and inspection ownership.

TRACK 2

Repair + return

Use only after authority access, complete scope, permits, funding, title and realistic completion capacity are verified.

TRACK 3

List after preparation

Compare stabilization, cleanup, access, disclosure, agent, carrying and buyer-financing requirements against probable net proceeds and time.

TRACK 4

Sell as-is

Compare verified debt, taxes/liens, closing costs, cleanout/security responsibility and certainty—not merely the headline offer.

Request an as-is comparison

Securing help is not conditioned on selling. Use every free tool here without entering an address or contact information. If you later want a direct as-is comparison, Bexar County Home Buyers can discuss it separately.

OFFICIAL DESK · START WITH THE PROPERTY’S ACTUAL JURISDICTION

Source the rule before you source the plywood.

Program pages and ordinances change. Open the official source, preserve the notice you received and confirm current instructions with the responsible authority.

Jurisdiction is the first field. A Bexar County mailing address does not tell you whether City of San Antonio, another incorporated municipality or unincorporated County rules control. Confirm the parcel before using a deadline or registration rule.

OWNER QUESTIONS · PLAIN ANSWERS

Board-up and vacant-house FAQ.

Should I call 9-1-1 or arrange a board-up?+

Call 9-1-1 for active entry, suspected crime, fire, gas, immediate collapse danger or another emergency. A board-up vendor is not an emergency responder and should not confront occupants or enter an authority-restricted structure.

Does every vacant house need plywood?+

No. The objective is effective prevention of unauthorized entry. Sound doors, windows and locks may be the better normal measure. Temporary boarding is one method when openings are missing, broken or otherwise cannot be effectively closed. Follow the exact authority, insurer and property-specific requirements.

What does San Antonio consider an unsecured, unoccupied building?+

City Code §6-172 describes a structure with no legitimate occupant—or occupants without a right to possession—with missing or unlocked doors, windows or other openings through which an unauthorized person, including a child, could enter.

How quickly must a San Antonio Notice to Secure be handled?+

Section 6-172 states that its written Notice to Secure informs the addressee that the building must be secured within ten days of receipt, or that the City has already secured it. Emergency action, board orders and other documents can differ. Use the exact document and confirm the controlling date.

Can the City secure the house itself?+

The City Code provides routes for the City to secure qualifying unoccupied structures after notice and, in specified danger or school/day-care proximity circumstances, through summary action. Costs and an administrative charge can become an account receivable, and a lien route may apply to certain non-homestead residential structures.

What materials are not enough in San Antonio?+

Section 6-172 says cardboard, tar paper, window or door screens, and other material that does not effectively prevent entrance are insufficient. It lists examples such as plywood, lumber, steel, replacement glass, nails, screws and bolts, but the safe and compliant method must fit the opening and current instructions.

Do I need to leave one door usable?+

Do not improvise an access opening that defeats security. Lawful inspection and maintenance access, fire/code restrictions, lock control and vendor design should be resolved in the written scope. A posted or written order may give specific instructions.

Does vacant-building registration apply everywhere in San Antonio?+

The Chapter 12 program has defined geographic and property-category applicability, including specified central, historic, conservation, TIRZ, military-base perimeter and landmark contexts. A vacant structure is not automatically registrable solely because it is empty. Check the current City map, program page and notice.

What if the house is outside San Antonio but in Bexar County?+

First determine whether it is in another incorporated city or unincorporated Bexar County. San Antonio amendments do not automatically apply countywide. Use the applicable municipality or Bexar County Code Compliance and Infrastructure Services.

Should utilities be left on?+

There is no universal answer. Fire, code and utility authorities may restrict service; an insurer, lender or preservation plan may have requirements; and water, electrical, gas, freeze, fire and trespass risks differ. Obtain property-specific direction and document shutoff status without handling unsafe equipment.

How often should a boarded property be checked?+

Use the shortest interval required by a notice, registration plan, insurer, lender or actual risk, and inspect after storms or reports of activity. The monthly date in this workspace is a planning default—not an official safe harbor.

Can I sell the property after it is secured?+

Potentially. Securing preserves options but does not resolve title, liens, notices, registration, permits, occupancy, insurance or disclosure. Bexar County Home Buyers can discuss an as-is purchase, but the owner should compare that path with stabilization, repair and market sale using verified costs.

PRIVATE OWNER WORKSPACE

Secure first. Then compare the complete next step.

Keep using the field desk without submitting anything. When an as-is sale becomes one option, request a separate, no-pressure property comparison.