Neighbor's yard is a junkyard (Austin, West: HOA, house, landscaping)

[hacklin22]

Hello,
Recently visited my sister, who lives in Austin with her young family. Their neighbor's yard is a legitimate junk yard. Rats, standing water, junk and trash covering every last inch. I learned she has called the city close to 50 times over the past year or so, and there has been NO action. The yard has been this way for years now. I am very confused as to how this is legal? I believe the house is rented. Does anyone have any advice as to how we can rectify this situation? She has two very young toddlers who cannot even use their backyard due to the smell and health hazards. (side note, I am not from Austin, so have no idea about the codes/laws that would pertain to this issue).
Thanks in advance for any help you may have.

[centralaustinite]

Call 311 and report it, get the case number. Take pictures and email the case number and pictures to her council person. Is there a neighborhood list serve or Next Door in her area? Get them involved and get them calling and emailing too.

You can go to TCAD and look up the address and find the owner of record, pass it along to the city, share with the list serve.

She could also try calling the code compliance office directly, there is also an on-line form to fill out, but a phone call usually gets results. She could also try notifying the county health department.

[blakely]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Call 311 and report it, get the case number. Take pictures and email the case number and pictures to her council person. Is there a neighborhood list serve or Next Door in her area? Get them involved and get them calling and emailing too.

You can go to TCAD and look up the address and find the owner of record, pass it along to the city, share with the list serve.

She could also try calling the code compliance office directly, there is also an on-line form to fill out, but a phone call usually gets results. She could also try notifying the county health department.

Can you explain how one can "share with the list serve"?

And when you say "pass it along to the city," which department/person?

Reading with interest, due to a similar situation- thanks.

[FalconheadWest]

And people wonder why HOA communities are bad... If she lived in one, this would not happen. Not saying everyone needs to live in an HOA, but this just chalks one up for the pro list of an HOA.

[Return2Paradise]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

And people wonder why HOA communities are bad... If she lived in one, this would not happen. Not saying everyone needs to live in an HOA, but this just chalks one up for the pro list of an HOA.

I live in a neighborhood with an HOA. There are several properties on my street that have been complete eyesores for years. I haven't had the time or energy to attend HOA meetings to find out what prevents them from being able to get the residents in question to comply, so I need to get more involved. My point is that simply living in an HOA controlled community doesn't solve the problems.

[PRND321]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

And people wonder why HOA communities are bad... If she lived in one, this would not happen. Not saying everyone needs to live in an HOA, but this just chalks one up for the pro list of an HOA.

LOL. Why would a HOA care? They don't get paid any less even if they get nothing done...

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by PRND321

LOL. Why would a HOA care? They don't get paid any less even if they get nothing done...

They can levy fines on the property's owner...among other things.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by blakely

Can you explain how one can "share with the list serve"?

And when you say "pass it along to the city," which department/person?

Reading with interest, due to a similar situation- thanks.

Well, I would need to know the exact neighborhood but nearly every Austin neighborhood has a neighborhood association (not an HOA) and most of the associations run either an email list serve, usually for the past 15-20 years and/or have a specific Next Door site for the neighborhood. If the OP wants to DM, with more details, I can help them identify the association and email group.

Contact the city council person, they all have staff to handle these kinds of issues, best if you can give them the case number (from calling 311 or from filing out the code compliance form). These types of issues are handled by the code compliance group within the development office. But I'd follow up with the relevant city council person.

Code | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by Return2Paradise

I live in a neighborhood with an HOA. There are several properties on my street that have been complete eyesores for years. I haven't had the time or energy to attend HOA meetings to find out what prevents them from being able to get the residents in question to comply, so I need to get more involved. My point is that simply living in an HOA controlled community doesn't solve the problems.

Originally Posted by PRND321

LOL. Why would a HOA care? They don't get paid any less even if they get nothing done...

My HOA management company drives the neighbor (and all their neighborhoods) once a week and they love mailing out letters to homeowners not in compliance. If your weeds are a millimeter too long, you get a notice. If your landscaping is hideous, you get a notice. If your trash cans can be seen from the street, you get a notice...

It's not necessarily the HOA doing this, but it's the management company that the HOA pays to manage the issues.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by blakely

Can you explain how one can "share with the list serve"?

And when you say "pass it along to the city," which department/person?

Reading with interest, due to a similar situation- thanks.

Check http://www.nextdoor.com/ and see if her and your neighborhood is active. My area of town is very active. You can join NextDoor with a free account and share information with the neighborhoods around you. Including giving away or selling stuff you no longer need. It is very useful for exchanging information about crime, lost pets, recommending contractors, asking for help, etc. with your neighbors.

My HOA also has a list serve that can be used in a similar way, but it is not as active.

HOA's can make a huge positive difference in keeping up the quality of the neighborhood. Mine is very active in going after people who do not maintain their properties. It is run entirely by people who own housed in the area and are interested in maintaining its quality.