Disgusting long rant about neighbors, any advice welcome...

[joanne0012]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., faux pas <unfauxpas at y...> wrote:

Eeeuw, poor Jen, how absolutely disgusting and frustrating!

I can only add that I agree with the suggestions to go to the press and the zoning 
board.  It's time to get assertive!  Put those hormones to work!

Call the zoning board, tell them you're planning on renting out a couple of rooms, 
and find out the legality/requirements of it in your neighborhood.   Find out what 
regulations your town has chosen to have for unrelated individuals, subletting 
rooms (rooming houses are strictly zoned in most places), etc. The right of 
towns to limit the number of unrelated individuals living together went all the way 
to the US Supreme Court in the mid-1970s; they decided in Borass vs Belle 
Terre, that the towns could do so (IIRC the decision came down in spring of 1974 
or maybe 1975). 

My own personal strategy on this would be to first explain to the owner that I 
planned on outing her to the zoning board or the press if she doesn't fix the 
situation adequately.  Be prepared to explain your strategy in detail so she 
knows you're not bluffing -- have the phone numbers of the local down-and-dirty 
newscast and the town rep for your regional newspaper.

In dealing with public agencies like the health department, it's definitely a case of 
the squeaky wheel getting the attention.  Every time it crosses your mind to 
worry about this situation, call them.  Even if this means calling several times a 
day.  You have a legitimate concern.  Explain your press strategy to them, too.  I 
personally enjoy dramatic touches and would consider showing up in their offices 
in town hall bearing a bucketful of stuff scraped up from the yard, but that's 
just me.  The thing that motivates bureaucrats best is fear -- of getting in 
trouble, or of having more work.  So base your strategy on that -- always offer 
to go over the head of any bureaucrat who displeases you --  that supervisor 
doesn't want HER supervisor to hear about it!