Office of the City Attorney
The Nuisance Abatement Unit (NAU) is a specialized unit within City Attorney Mara W. Elliott’s Office devoted to enforcing public nuisance, land use, and environmental laws. NAU works with the community, the Code Enforcement Division of the City Development Services Department, the San Diego Police Department, and other government agencies to proactively preserve and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods. The unit serves as a nationwide model to cities seeking to establish an aggressive nuisance abatement program.
City Attorney Elliott has prioritized addressing substandard living conditions for San Diego’s most vulnerable residents, many of whom are elderly or disabled. In 2018, NAU launched a concerted crackdown on group living facilities where victims are often
abused, denied their basic dignity, deprived of basic necessities, and
exposed to filth, vermin, and bedbugs. Residents are provided relocation assistance arranged by a Victim Services Coordinator, a position created by the City Attorney to ensure victims residing in substandard conditions find safe housing and are connected to critical social services.
Under City Attorney Elliott’s leadership, NAU has prosecuted poachers and
polluters who flout California’s environmental laws. Working in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, NAU protected endangered elephants by
prosecuting local traffickers in the biggest ivory bust in California history.
Submit a Community Request for Service to alert the NAU to any of the following issues:
NNAU is a member of this team which identifies problem properties with ongoing narcotic activity and develops a strategy to abate the drug and nuisance activity.
As a member of this team, NAU works to identify properties that are sites for prostitution, lewd activity, and human trafficking and develops a strategy to permanently abate the illegal activities.
NAU partners with the San Diego Hazardous Waste Task Force to coordinate the investigation and enforcement of environmental crimes by identifying and reducing the risk associated with the production, handling and storage of hazardous materials and waste. Members of this task force include the FBI, United States Attorney, District Attorney, Air Pollution Control District, sewer agencies, US Environmental Protection Agency, California Highway Patrol, and the California Fish and Wildlife Department