Municipal Law

Best Best & Krieger's Municipal Law practice group provides a comprehensive approach to its code enforcement services.

BB&K recognizes the importance of using a selective assortment of enforcement mechanisms available to municipalities. We also understand the importance of ensuring that code enforcement actions are cost-effective.

Administrative Proceedings

BB&K has developed a depth of experience in the context of code enforcement administrative proceedings. Whether they be administrative hearings under a Uniform Code, your own municipal nuisance ordinance, or in the context of conditional use permit revocations, our attorneys have the knowledge to get the desired result. BB&K attorneys are experienced in advising municipal clients, prosecuting administrative actions before local administrative bodies and successfully defending administrative decisions in court.

Civil Litigation

BB&K leads the field in using creative civil code enforcement remedies. We have assisted several of our clients in obtaining receiverships to rehabilitate substandard housing. Receiverships are effective cost recovery tools since, upon the completion of the rehabilitation, the property can be sold and the city can use these funds to offset its attorneys fees and costs. The use of this remedy has led to BB&K's statewide recognition as a leader in the abatement of substandard housing under the California housing law. In addition, we are familiar with and use other civil code enforcement remedies available to municipalities.

Cost Recovery

BB&K realizes that the cost of code enforcement often reduces the effectiveness of a code enforcement program. That is why the firm strives to assist its municipal clients in maintaining the financial viability of their code enforcement programs. We do this by using strategies such as cost recovery ordinances, administrative fines and penalties ordinances, nuisance abatement liens and assessments, attorneys fees statutes, and civil compromises in criminal prosecutions.
 

Criminal Prosecutions

BB&K also has the capacity to criminally prosecute municipal code violations. Indeed, several of our attorneys bring their prosecutorial experience from district attorney offices throughout California to address our clients' code enforcement issues.

Ordinance Drafting

BB&K attorneys are experienced in drafting and prosecuting ordinances. Without a doubt, this has proven to be beneficial to our municipal clients. Recently, our attorneys have drafted ordinances relating to administrative fines and penalties, adult businesses, leafleting, charitable and business solicitation, graffiti abatement, horse track wagering, loitering, and property maintenance ordinances.