City Attorney

The City Attorney is the lawyer for the City of Santa Barbara as an organization and works for the City Council and other City Staff.  By law, the City Attorney is prohibited from representing private individuals, businesses, or groups.

Santa Barbara City Attorney’s Office 
Short-Term Rental Enforcement Pilot Program

While short-term rentals (STR) are not permitted in most areas of Santa Barbara, they have nonetheless become a new form of visitor lodging in the City within the past decade. A short-term residential rental is a rental of all, or a portion of the residential property for periods of 30 days or less. 

Claims for damages against the City of Santa Barbara are processed through Risk Management, a division of the Finance Department. For claim forms and more information, please click HERE.

Risk Management Office
City Hall
735 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 564-5347 Tel.
(805) 897-2642 Fax
Risk@SantaBarbaraCA.gov

Mailing Address
Risk Management
City of Santa Barbara
PO Box 1990
Santa Barbara, CA 93102-1990

Lawsuits against the City of Santa Barbara must be served on the City Clerk's Office located at City Hall, 735 Anacapa Street.  Please click HERE for their hours of operation. 

If City Hall is closed, service will be accepted at the City Attorney's Office located at 740 State Street, Suite 201.

SARAH KNECHT
City Attorney
Ms. Knecht received her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She graduated as a member of the Order of the Coif and in the top 5 graduates of her class. Prior to joining the City Attorney’s Office in 2004 as an Assistant City Attorney, Ms. Knecht worked for the Santa Barbara law firm of Hatch & Parent where she served as deputy city attorney for the City of Carpinteria and special counsel for several special districts including Goleta West Sanitary District and the Central Coast Water Authority in addition to private real estate developers.  She began her public law career working at the Orange County law firm of Rutan & Tucker where she served as deputy city attorney for the cities of Yorba Linda and Villa Park and special counsel for several redevelopment agencies.  Ms. Knecht represents the Finance, Waterfront, and Housing Departments within the City.  

Ms. Knecht began her public service career as a city planner working for several jurisdictions including Riverside County, and the cities of San Bernardino and Hermosa Beach.  Prior to moving to Santa Barbara in 1996, Ms. Knecht pursued her passion for adventure and photography and lived in East Africa for four years

LISA CLENDENEN
Litigation Paralegal
Ms. Clendenen is part of the Litigation team, working primarily with Assistant City Attorney Tom R. Shapiro defending the City in litigation matters pending in both state and federal courts.  Ms. Clendenen joined the City Attorney’s Office in 2011.  Before coming to the City Attorney's Office, she had 20+ years of litigation experience working in private law firms in Santa Monica and Los Angeles primarily representing public sector employees in the areas of tort and employment law.  Ms. Clendenen is a graduate of Westmont College with her Bachelor’s degree in English and Sociology.  In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, hiking and spending time with family.

JOHN DOIMAS
Assistant City Attorney
Mr. Doimas joined the City Attorney’s Office in 2011.  He serves as the advisor to the Police, Library, Human Resources, and Building and Safety Department.  Mr. Doimas also works on projects for the Community Development Department, as well as, the Public Works Department.  In addition, he handles Pitchess motions, administrative hearings, civil service hearings, serves as a back-up on civil litigation matters, and also drafts and reviews ordinances.

Originally from Chicago, Mr. Doimas received his law degree from Loyola University Chicago with highest honors and earned bachelor degrees in Political Science and History and a minor in economics from DePaul University. 

MONDAY FITZ-GERALD
Law Practice Administrator
Ms. Fitz-Gerald began her career with the City in 2016 as a Deputy City Clerk, then joined the City Attorney's litigation team in 2018.  Prior to working for the City, she worked at the Santa Barbara Superior Court both as Judicial Assistant to the Honorable Thomas P. Anderle and as Probate Clerk to the Honorable J. William McLafferty.  In 2022, Ms. Fitz-Gerald became the City's first Law Practice Administrator.  She plans and prepares the annual City Attorney operating budget and two-year financial plan, manages facilities, leads and participates in special projects, and oversees the operation and function of the office.

Ms. Fitz-Gerald earned her Master’s degree in Public Administration, with distinction, from California State University Northridge, her Bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara, and obtained her American Bar Association approved paralegal certificate through UC Santa Barbara’s extension program.  She is a member of the Santa Barbara Paralegal Association and has served on the board as Vice President of Programs, Treasurer, and Co-chair of the Annual MCLE Conference.

GINA GARRETT
Legal Administrative Assistant
Ms. Garrett joined the office in 2021.  Before coming to the City Attorney's Office, she worked for 20 years in the administration office at the Santa Barbara Superior Court, and served as both the Interpreter Coordinator and as the Judicial Assistant to the Honorable Brian E. Hill. 

Ms. Garrett is also part of the Litigation team, working primarily with attorneys, Tom R. Shapiro and Delaney R. Satz.  Ms. Garrett received her Bachelor’s degree in Law & Society from the University of California at Santa Barbara.  Born and raised in Goleta/Santa Barbara, she is a huge sports fan, attending events when she can and enjoys going to the beach, camping, traveling, and spending time with her family.

TAVA OSTRENGER
Assistant City Attorney
Tava Ostrenger joined the Santa Barbara City Attorney’s Office in 2007.  Ms. Ostrenger presently advises the Community Development Department, Airport Department, and the Library.

Ms. Ostrenger received her law degree from Santa Barbara College of Law and her bachelor degree in Sociology, with a minor in History, from the University of California at Santa Barbara.  Ms. Ostrenger also serves as a volunteer judge for the Santa Barbara County Teen Court Program.

HEATHER MINTER
Deputy City Attorney
Heather Minter joined the City Attorney’s Office in December 2023. She is an Air Force veteran having been stationed in various places around the world, most notably in Kunsan AB, South Korea and Vandenberg AFB, CA. Post-enlistment, Ms. Minter attended the University of California Santa Barbara majoring in anthropology/archaeology while simultaneously working in the Santa Barbara County wine industry. Thereafter, Ms. Minter interned at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office in the felony domestic violence unit while attending the Santa Barbara Colleges of Law where she received her Juris Doctorate. 

Early in her career, Ms. Minter worked for the local Santa Barbara law firm Mullen & Henzell L.L.P. working in the civil litigation department primarily focusing on probate litigation. She later transitioned to a career in estate planning working closely with clients to develop comprehensive and bespoke estate plans, advising clients regarding long term trust administrations, post-death trust administrations, probate administrations, conservatorships, and other probate law related matters. Ms. Minter joined the City Attorney’s Office in an Advisory role working with Ms. Sarah Knecht, Ms. Tava Ostrenger, and Mr. John Doimas. 

LEANNA PENCEK
Supervising Legal Administrative Assistant
Ms. Pencek joined the City Attorney’s Office as a Legal Secretary in 1994, became Legal Office Supervisor in 2003, and in 2021 became Supervising Legal Administrative Assistant.  She currently assists City Attorney, Sarah Knecht and Assistant City Attorney, John Doimas, and assists in other projects.  A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she enjoys playing soccer and spending time with her family.

CHERYL (LISA) RODRIGUEZ
Legal Administrative Assistant  
Lisa joined the office in April 2022.  Before coming to the City Attorney’s office, she worked as a Judicial Assistant for the Superior Courts in Santa Barbara, Tulare and Ventura Counties with 25 plus years of experience working in the criminal, civil and family law courtrooms. 

Ms. Rodriguez is part of the Prosecution team, working primarily with Assistant City Prosecutor Denny Wei.  Ms. Rodriguez completed her AAS degree in Supervision at Ventura College in May 2023 and is now attending Oxnard College Paralegal Studies Program. She enjoys hiking, traveling and spending time with her family. 

Delaney Satz
Deputy City Attorney  
Delaney Satz joined the Santa Barbara City Attorney’s Office in 2024.  Ms. Satz specializes in civil litigation and defends the City against matters brought in state and federal court.

Prior to joining the City, Ms. Satz worked at Mullen & Henzell L.L.P. as an Associate in the Labor and Employment department, focusing solely on employment defense.  Ms. Satz also worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Joshua D. Novin in the Tax Court of New Jersey.

Ms. Satz received her Bachelor's degree in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law.  In her free time, Ms. Satz enjoys spending time with her family and pets, traveling, cooking, and horseback riding.  

TOM R. SHAPIRO
Assistant City Attorney  
Mr. Shapiro specializes in civil litigation involving municipalities with an emphasis on civil rights and police liability cases.   He has been with the City Attorney’s Office since 2005. Mr. Shapiro has tried over fifty five civil jury trials, and has argued cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the California appellate courts resulting in a number of published opinions.

Prior to joining the City, Mr. Shapiro practiced in his own law firm representing the SCUBA diving industry and other maritime clients.  In 2003, the National Law Journal selected one of Mr. Shapiro’s trial verdicts, Bolour v. Santa Barbara Aquatics, as one of the top ten defense verdicts in the country.  He has been Martindale-Hubble AV rated since 2001.

Mr. Shapiro graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor’s of Science degree, and received his J.D. from the Catholic University of America, in Washington D.C.  Mr. Shapiro currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Police Activities League.

CARY STEVENS
Legal Administrative Assistant
Ms. Stevens has been with City Attorney's Office as a Legal Administrative Assistant since May 2001. Previously, she was employed for 15 years both in-house and in private Los Angeles law firms, primarily in civil litigation.  In addition to being a Connecticut native and animal lover, Ms. Stevens has various outside interests such as culinary studies, music, and volunteer work which has included membership in the Channel Islands Naturalist Corps.  Ms. Stevens is the assistant to Daniel Hentschke, Tava Ostrenger, and Heather Minter. 

DENNY WEI
Assistant City Prosecutor
Mr. Wei joined the City Attorney’s Office in June 2019.  He is the City’s first full-time prosecuting attorney.  Before joining the Office he was a Senior Assistant City Attorney with the Burbank City Attorney’s Office where he worked as a prosecutor and a civil litigator.  Mr. Wei worked prosecuting state misdemeanors and local code offenses in the City of Burbank’s Criminal Prosecution Unit between 2006 and 2018.  He served as the Unit’s supervisor for almost ten of those years.  He has extensive experience working to remediate substandard housing.  He also worked with Burbank’s Mental Health Evaluation Team to address crimes stemming from people suffering from mental illness.  He was an Adjunct Assistant Professor teaching Criminal Law and Remedies at Glendale University College of Law.  Before serving Burbank, Mr. Wei served as a Deputy District Attorney in San Benito County from 2000 to 2006, handling a wide variety of cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious and violent felonies.

Mr. Wei received his law degree from Whittier College School of Law and earned his bachelor degrees in History and Sociology from the University of California at Santa Cruz.

To search for ordinances, you may do a document search here: Document Search.  You may also search the municipal code for all codified ordinances here:  City Charter & Municipal Code.

CITY HOUSING ORDINANCES
Below are ordinances translated into Spanish as a courtesy.  The signed, sealed, and published ordinance in English is the official City document.  By law, the City Attorney's Office is prohibited from providing legal advice to the public.
La traducción al español de esta ordenanza es una cortesía.  La ordenanza firmada, sellada y publicada en inglés es el documento oficial de la Ciudad.

"Just Cause" Ordinance No.  6139
"Causa Justa" Ordenanza No. 6139 - Español

"Just Cause" Frequently Asked Questions
"Causa Justa" Preguntas Frecuentes

Relocation Assistance Resolution No. 23-058

Mandatory 1 Year Lease Ordinance No. 5885
Lease Rejection Form.doc  
Lease Rejection Form.pdf
 

Please click the link to access the People's Business California Public Records Act Guide: The-Peoples-Business.pdf