The city of Santa Barbara this week announced a bold plan to increase enforcement and prosecution against people who violate city ordinances.

"It is part of our job to be responsive, to be prompt in our responsiveness, to bring back an expectation from the community that when they complain, they will be heard," said City Attorney Ariel Calonne. "We won't make everyone happy, but we will be responding."

Calonne introduced a new legal team who will help enforce city laws: Denny Wei, assistant city prosecutor; William Alva, city attorney investigator; and Amy Scott, litigation paralegal

"I am very proud to be part of the community," said Alva, who boasted of being born in Chicago, growing up in Mexico, and being a retired U.S. Navy SeaBee and former police officer.

The city plans a series of enforcement actions, including a planned shopping cart ordinance, personal goods storage ordinance, and sidewalk vending ordinance, all of which are coming to the ordinance committee in October.

Calonne called the city's municipal code a "promise to the community," noting that the city attorney's budget has risen by more than $500,000 in the past five years, from $3.27 million to $3.7 million — as a sign of the office's commitment to enforcement and prosecution.

The new hires, he said, will allow the office to be more responsive

The city currently has 86 open code-enforcement case; 248 open vacation-rental cases; 37 open criminal prosecutions; and two open nuisance abatement cases

"Our priority would be to handle, review, enforce every single case that comes to our office," Wei said. ""Prosecution should be reserved for only when we have exhausted all the other potential tools."

The city has four enforcement priorities:

» Enforce safe housing standards, including nuisance, abatement and receiverships as appropriate.

» Remediate nuisance behaviors to protect public spaces for common enjoyment.

» Enforce short-term vacation rental laws, including proactive enforcement except in coastal zone pending outcome of vacation rental litigation.

» Consumer protection, including landlord-tenant issues.

"I want to express my appreciation to your office for how you underscored how you value and prioritize and understand the power of community buy-in," said Councilwoman Megan Harmon. "I think that is something that we all love about Santa Barbara, how committed we are regardless of district, or neighborhood, to making this the best city it can be, the most livable it can be."

Councilman Jason Dominguez said nuisance behavior should be the top priority of the city.

"It's a double whammy," Dominguez said. "It's a double-win. Not only are you making the community safer for the people who are visitors and residents, but the people who are committing the nuisance behavior that for whatever reason lack the wherewithal to make the right decisions.

"They have impulse control, cognitive deficit, mental health issues, addictions, whatever it is."

— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) . Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.