Use of Sidewalk
I have a neighbor that likes to use the sidewalk in front of my house in Bed Stuy. He and friends in the summer set up chairs in front of my house under my shady tree and he chains a bike to the parking sign in front of my house. To my complaints, he says…
I have a neighbor that likes to use the sidewalk in front of my house in Bed Stuy. He and friends in the summer set up chairs in front of my house under my shady tree and he chains a bike to the parking sign in front of my house. To my complaints, he says that I do not own the sidewalk. What are my legal rights here? I am responsible for keeping the sidewalk clear and safe. How do you deal with such “bad” neighbors?
6:14 has got to be kidding..
you make it sound like these “stoopers” are out there drinking wine and eating cheese…while watching the “block”…
When in fact these type of stoopers are drinking , talking, being rude and downright disrespectul to the neighborhood as a whole..
Personally, for stoopers I would have a gate, keep it closed(not locked)..
For the “chair-tree” people the best advice I have seen is build a potter and small fence around the tree…
It is your tree..trust me…the same way the sidewalk is yours to plow in the snow..the same way sanitation will ticket you for any and all garbage directly in front of your house(your fault or not)..
My issue comes with those who move into these bedstuy upcoming type areas and expect to change the long held mentalities of those previosuly there..this takes time..not that changing is necessary but someitmes enlightenment for those who dont know any better and have ZERO respect for other peoples property…
Good luck…
Plant flowers in boxes in front of your home…. go sit outside more frequently… sit on the stoop… stay friendly
and pleasant…. politely ask if your neighbors could move slightly so that you could wash down your stoop, water your flowers etc., water the
tree…
Above all be respectful… your neighbors have been there longer than you have and perhaps your house sat vacant for awhile and their presence was previously bothering no one.
I had the same issues for awhile but all worked out peacefully and respectfully all the way around.
Calling the cops or filing reports just incite stuff you really don’t want to deal with!
Anon 4:32pm Make sure you wear white when doing so, easier to find the stab wounds that way.
First be reasonable. Here is a last resort idea- Take some kitty litter or something else disgusting, and dump it right there,in front of them while they are sitting there. When he complains, say ‘You don’t own the sidewalk,either.”
I love what RJ suggested, trying to hang out with them until they leave. Hilarious. Put on the dorkiest white-people outfits you can find. Like maybe stonewashed jeans that come up to your ribcage, and a tshirt saying Fargo North Dakota.
Someone mentioned taking the lids off the smelly trash cans – that’s what I was going to suggest. Find a way to make it stinky in front of your house.
But in general, I agree it’s not a bad thing to have neighbors who sit outside all the time. They do deter crime, and other things. We had a fire in our co-op building foyer once and our co-op neighbor’s idiot nanny didn’t bother to tell anybody in the building about it. It was the Puerto Rican ladies who sit on the stoop all day long next door who rang all the buzzers and warned us. (I know, I know, there should be a fire alarm in the foyer.)
“I’m going to start getting together with some of my friends (say 10) and their lawnchairs and start camping out a various locations around the City.”
Yeah, until you camp in front of some wealthy or well-connected guy and before you know it you’d be busted for loitering. The fact is that it all boils down to selective enforcement. Cops don’t have time for bullshit calls and this one qualifies cause the guy is your neighbor. Yes, they CANNOT camp in that manner in front of your house but getting someone to come out on it? Good luck. UNLLESS it’s a disturbance of course.
Make friends with the guy. Offer him alternatives, cut a deal, make him an offer he can’t resist.
Wow, BedStyliving hit the nail right on the head.
You make me amend my take on this, BSL. I was one of the people saying that you buy into a neighborhood. I still believe this, and I still think that the OP caring about who locks bikes to “his” parking sign is over the top.
But you are right–you get what you ask for, and it’s important to ask for ordinary respectful treatment from your neighbors.
I like stoop-sitters and such because they are doing a lot to make the neighborhood safe just by being there. And on the first nice day of spring, I can understand an hour of loud music on the street after work. I like living in a city and will make concessions of my personal space sometimes because of it.
But I see how relentless music and loud conversation could become an issue of my neighbors not understanding that other people live here, too.
We had similar problem with people sitting on our stoop, talking trash about people and cursing and smoking and leaving takeout food on the sidewalk/stairs. I very sweetly swept the sidewalk and front stoop and took the lids off of the stinky trash cans. It smelled so bad they all left. Hope something gives you some peace.
Also all of the sudden I currently have a non-english speaking old lady hanging her daily laundry including underwear outside the FRONT of her house. I believe she is a new renter next door. Any legitimate and constructive recommendations?
Original poster never said they “owned†the sidewalk! Obliviously, inquired because they did not understand and were looking for help not sarcasm! Yes, you buy into a neighborhood — the thing I did was to visit day and night in the summer to see what kind of neighbors I had — but this issue is more about courteous and respect “hello†and not owning the sidewalk. Seems we don’t think this is important anymore! I have had similar problems, the occasional tie up of a bike, etc. (there is a parking sign between my neighbor and my property) is fine, I rather have that than people, but I have had to ask some young men on the block, who decided they would stand in front of my house (with a barking pit bull) and have a loud conversation. at 7:00 in the morning to move on. My thing is to always approach it as a courteous issue, not “you’re on my property.†It also helps when it’s a group effort –one of my neighbors also is diligent in asking people to move on when they have stood in front of our homes late night. But then, of course, there are some who could care less about respecting others and that sounds like the situation you are in. And I am sure its probably a noise issue as well. There is no one answer that fits all. You can call 311, but again if the person is unwilling now, who knows what calling will do? Do you have a block association that could help (some members probaly have lived on the block awhile and may personally know your neighbor, at least give you an idea of what kind of person you are dealing with). Reach out to your local representative’s office or the local development corporation, if they have any advise. I wish you well, believe you mean, you are not alone.