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    heatheria's Avatar
    heatheria Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Dec 8, 2007, 03:01 PM
    What can I do to stop my neighbor from harassing us?
    Hello everyone!

    I am a new member and I hope someone can help me with my problem!

    I live in the South Bay, part of Los Angeles County. I have a "neighbor" (and I use that term loosely) who has been harassing us every since we moved in 3 years ago. She has turned it into a battle over parking, mostly, but will basically try to do whatever she can to piss us off. So far, we've taken a hands off approach, not wanting to add fuel to the fire. She is undoubteldy a sad, pathetic older woman, never been married, never had kids, never has any friends, etc. She lives alone but rents out her "bootleg" apartment to unsuspecting people. In the past year alone, she has gotten rid of 3 tenant, by snooping in their cars and possibly their apartments, digging through their trash, etc. to find something wrong with them.

    We live on a one-way street, and her side has parking in the garage and in front of the garage as well. We used to have 3 spots that were available for public parking. She got City Hall to paint the 2 curbs around her house red, but the last curb is still open and "legal" so she is trying to get that one red as well. We are currently parking in the last legal spot when we get a chance. We do not have ample parking here in the Beach Cities, and she is trying to make that situation even worse! She runs up the street to look inside my car, took a letter off my windshield to read it, and takes pictures constantly. She also tells my neighbors to call the police on us, parking enforcement, go to City Hall, complain, not to buy things at my grocery store, etc.

    Another issue we have with her is that she constantly screams obscenities at us (in front of my 2 little kids) from her window upstairs. This has really upset me, because my daughter, age 3, is frightened and this "nasty neighbor" has made it very difficult to go outside of our house.

    There are so many other things, like her stealing our potted plants, vandalising our front walkway with her dog poop, etc. but since I didn't actual get any of it on tape, it's a he-said-she-said deal. The police have been notified of the situation and advised me there is nothing they can really do, until I get a restraining order against her. Then, if she makes the slightest move, they can cite/arrest her. I don't want things to get that ugly, but I am out of options. Killing her with kindness has not worked in the past. We keep to ourselves and avoid confrontation, but I think she is mistaking our kindness for weakness and continues to make life a living hell, here in what I consider Paradise.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I am at my wit's end and will move within a year, but she cannot get away with doing this to decent people!

    Love always,
    Heather

    P.S. I can email you pictures of what I'm talking about offline...
    xvi3tshortyx's Avatar
    xvi3tshortyx Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #2

    Dec 8, 2007, 03:04 PM
    Call the cops on her, but first, get evidence that she has harassed u, like taking a pic of her doing a crime, watever you have da dirt on her, show it to da police
    parttime's Avatar
    parttime Posts: 1,440, Reputation: 113
    Ultra Member
     
    #3

    Dec 8, 2007, 03:30 PM
    Xvi is right on, heatheria, get evidence of what this person is doing and go to the police, file a report with them so things are on record, but my first move would be to explain exactly what you intend to do, so the neighbor has the opportunity to back off, good luck
    heatheria's Avatar
    heatheria Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #4

    Dec 8, 2007, 04:01 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by parttime
    xvi is right on, heatheria, get evidence of what this person is doing and go to the police, file a report with them so things are on record, but my first move would be to explain exactly what you intend to do, so the neighbor has the opportunity to back off, good luck

    The problem with this is that she is not doing anything so illegal that she can be punished for it, but it is problematic enough to make living here tough, to say the least. I just took pictures and video today of her taking pictures of my car parked legally on the street. She's not stupid enough to do something totally illegal and get caught by my camera. The City parking person seemed like she was agreeing with my neighbor and trying to not be sympathetic to me. I think they are in the same boat, old, lonely, miserable people. Once the curb is deemed totally legal, then she can no longer harass me on that issue, but it can just as well go the other way with enough complaining from her to make that curb red as well. By the way, it is a very wide curb, more than enough to safely park a car. The engineer hasn't painted it red because it's not being complained about and no need to do it right away anyhow. Does anyone have experience in obtaining a restraining order for a situation like this or suing for something else? I've never done anything like this before, and don't want to, but she is just too much!

    Love always,
    Heather
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
    Uber Member
     
    #5

    Dec 8, 2007, 04:12 PM
    Hello Heather:

    I LOVE this kind of stuff. I HATE neighbors who act that way, and I know how to intimidate them. I'm REAL good at telling our questioners how to protect themselves in similar situations. My stuff works, too.

    But, as good as my stuff it is, it's not cheap. It's not easy to maintain. It isn't easy on the nerves, and it's not going to change things right now. The best change you can make is the one you're already making, and that's to leave.

    Love always,
    excon
    ourlittlefellas's Avatar
    ourlittlefellas Posts: 22, Reputation: 2
    New Member
     
    #6

    Dec 12, 2008, 11:43 AM

    Hey Heather!

    I have posted my problem with my next door neighbor about a month ago. I know what you are going through.. search for ourlittlefellas to read mine. Right now we are working with a lawyer (though he has not gotten back to us with when he is going to do this) to do a cease and desist letter. We wanted to take her to court for harassment but the lawyer suggested it might be hard to get the judge to take the case. So he recommended the C&D letter first and then to see what she does and if she continues to take her to court. Our neighbor is being a vindictive you know what and she has getting the upper hand with us. We are the victims of her rage. Let me know what you end up doing!
    JudyKayTee's Avatar
    JudyKayTee Posts: 46,503, Reputation: 4600
    Uber Member
     
    #7

    Dec 12, 2008, 11:57 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ourlittlefellas View Post
    Hey Heather!

    I have posted my problem with my next door neighbor about a month ago. I know what you are going through..search for ourlittlefellas to read mine. Right now we are working witha lawyer (though he has not gotten back to us with when he is going to do this) to do a cease and desist letter. We wanted to take her to court for harassment but the lawyer suggested it might be hard to get the judge to take the case. So he recommended the C&D letter first and then to see what she does and if she continues to take her to court. Our neighbor is being a vindictive you know what and she has getting the upper hand with us. We are the victims of her rage. Let me know what you end up doing!


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