TITLE
Recommendation to declare ordinance amending the Long Beach Municipal Code by adding Chapter 9.17, relating to nuisance abatement of illegal conduct involving unlawful weapons or ammunition on real property, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
In order to continue to keep Long Beach neighborhoods safe, the City Attorney's Office recommends the City Council adopt the proposed ordinance authorizing the City Attorney's Office to cause the eviction of tenants who utilize rental units in nuisance activity involving weapons and ammunition in the City of Long Beach. This ordinance will require rental property owners to either bring unlawful detainer actions to evict tenants creating such nuisances or, in the alternative, to assign their rights to bring such court actions to the Office of the Long Beach City Attorney.
The proposed ordinance is consistent with the City's practices similar to the drug eviction program that has been used for many years and is also consistent with the provisions of the new State regulations in this area. The California legislature enacted Civil Code section 3485 to allow for abatement of these types of nuisance activity by initiating and filing unlawful detainer actions for illegal conduct involving weapons and ammunition on real property. The eviction of a nuisance tenant from a particular rental unit has proven an effective tool to make neighborhoods safer, while at the same time, reducing the need for police services and their associated costs.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE BY ADDING CHAPTER 9.17, RELATING TO NUISANCE ABATEMENT OF ILLEGAL CONDUCT INVOLVING UNLAWFUL WEAPONS OR AMMUNITION ON REAL PROPERTY
Respectfully Submitted,
CHARLES PARKIN
CITY ATTORNEY
BY:
ARTURO D. SANCHEZ
DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY