Neighbors throwing trash in my yard – so frustrated.

[Jeanine]

So my only neighbors have been throwing all sorts of garbage out their windows and into my backyard (and theirs) for several years now. Mostly the kids I think. Today I saw a pizza box back there, went out and threw it back over the fence. When I went inside I looked out and witnessed the girl (teenager) obviously and intentionally toss a bag of chips right where the pizza box was…..grrrr.

I went next door and tried to talk to her. She denied it and shut the door in my face. The parents are mostly non-existent/don’t care.

Do any of you have experience dealing with situations like this? We’ve been taking photos and I’ve been searching online for the last hour and have a couple leads (DPD?) but would really appreciate some help!

They are Seattle Housing Authority tenants and this is only one of many issues.

Thank you!

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[Jeannie]

Sounds like your neighbors are real winners! Have you contacted the Seattle Housing Authority? Not sure if they will help you, but if you also raise the other issues, perhaps they’ll heed your concerns. Most housing authorities I’ve worked with as a professional are filled with bureaucrats of barely middling intelligence.

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[annaeileen]

Sadly I have experienced this problem at the last two houses I have lived in and it sucks. At our current house, our next door neighbor’s adult kids have friends that have thrown lit cigarettes on our wood deck, on the grass mat at the front door and in our yard. There have been some retaliation issues with other neighbors so we chose not do much (against my boyfriend’s wishes, I throw back what lands in our yard). Instead, we killed them with kindness (I gave them furniture we didn’t sell at a garage sale) and my boyfriend eventually talked with the adult and explained why it was dangerous (fire!) and it has helped. I tend to get angry and glare a lot and that does nothing (I am a passive aggressive Northwesterner). Keep up trying to find an adult and see if having a positive conversation help. It’s not fair but I was surprised by how much farther my boyfriend got with them than I did (until I gave them furniture). I had an issue with an old neighbor once and he was wrong (he dug up part of my yard without my permission) but I gave him extra dirt I had purchased and it helped keep him out of my yard and us talking. People love free stuff. Last resort, call the housing authority but be aware they could be very angry neighbors after that.

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[Jeanine]

Thanks, I’m not sure if it’s comforting or disheartening to hear how common this is.

I’m trying to communicate with SHA, but I’m not expecting much of a reaction.

The adults definitely do not care and are more concerned with their other illegal activities.

Maybe I’ll go buy a garbage can and wrap it up, put a big bow on it and leave it on their porch!

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[4th of Eight]

Have your Community Police Officer Liason talk to them

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[trickycoolj]

Email Heather at the HOA with pics. She will escalate to SHA. She was extremely helpful when visitors to the tenant behind me started parallel parking in the alley across from my driveway making it near impossible to get out in the mornings especially on garbage/recycle day.

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[sharktank]

Taller fence. Smart man once told me that tall fences make great neighbors. My fence is 8’4″, and my neighbors are fantastic.

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[Jeanine]

Thanks again, all. I did sent off a letter to SHA.

The liaison officer is a good idea, didn’t think of that.

I don’t know who Heather is, but I’m definitely not part of an HOA, and I doubt that my neighbors are either, considering the state of the house/yard.

I forgot an important detail in my OP: the trash is being thrown from a second story window. I wish I could have a fence tall enough to block them out! We’ve seriously considered finding some kind of really tall, fast growing plant (bamboo?) and putting it right in front of our fence.

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