A. Authority. The office of city attorney or the office of the city attorney’s designee is authorized to take any appropriate legal action to collect monetary penalties and necessary and reasonable costs, including liens, personal obligations, assignment of claims to collection agencies, and other collection methods authorized by law.

B. Personal Obligation. The monetary penalty, and any other fees or costs assess pursuant to this chapter, constitutes a personal obligation of the person to whom an enforcement order is directed. Any monetary penalty, fees and/or costs assessed must be paid to the city within thirty calendar days from the date of mailing of the court’s decision, hearing examiner’s decision, or a notice from the city that penalties are due. Any such monetary penalty, fees, and/or costs shall further constitute a lien against the affected real property. The office of the city attorney is authorized to take all actions available to collect the monetary penalty.

C. Lien Authorized. The city shall have a lien for any monetary penalty imposed, the cost of any abatement proceedings under this chapter, and all related costs including attorney and expert witness fees, against the real property on which the monetary penalty was imposed or any of the abatement work was performed, or both. The lien shall be subordinate to all previously existing special assessment liens imposed on the same property and shall be superior to all other liens, except for state and county taxes, with which it shall be on parity.