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I'm in my first week in Prospect Heights and I've already run into a problem with teenagers loitering in the hallway til the wee hours of the morning. They were drinking and yelling about cell phones and sneakers. This happened last night and now I'm at work, totally exhausted. Normally, I would have called 311 or the police but I'm hesitant for reasons which I'll explain: I'm on the first floor of the building - there are two apartments on this floor and the other one is currently unoccupied. If I were to call the police, the kids would definitely know I did it. I also live by myself in my apartment so I could end up being targeted for retaliation. This is also why I didn't want to approach them that late at night. So, has anyone else had similar issues? Were you able to address them effectively?
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Are these kids that live in the building?"It's only as boring as you make it."
You're making me want to poke my eyes out with a spoon. Stop that.
Bringing the term thin-skinned to a whole new level! -
Well if you're afraid to address the situation and wont even call the Police what do you expect to happen?
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Tell them to piss off or call the police. What other options are you expecting posters to suggest? Smoking them out? Renting Cerberus? Building a Rancor pit?
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Yeah open the door and tell them to move it along - it's late and they're loud. If they give you shit just shut the door and call the cops. If they're young and they live there the chances of any sort of real retaliation is pretty small. Even if the kids' parents are assholes no one wants to deal w/ the cops at 3am.
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Teenagers can be pretty big and imposing sometimes (12, not so much/ 17, yes) and the thing that makes me nervous (and probably the OP as well) is that when they're that young (read: immature), they have no fear of reprecussions. So, I disagree with the other posters telling them to just "move along." Chances are- they won't. Chances are, they'll take the challenge and do whatever to make the OP's life miserable. Calling the cops may make things sticky as well. I do recommend doing some snoping around and finding out who they "belong" to (ie- mom and dad). Then maybe you can ease your way into informing them of their middle of the night behavior. But that'll take time and you know, school starts up in a couple of weeks, so.....good luck with that!"...you can choose the rain....but I choose the sun..." - N. Costa
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I had the same problem, I just called the cops (had to tell them the kids were smoking pot or they wouldnt come - but usually that was true)... the kids would scatter then return the next night. I called them every night for a few weeks and finally the kids felt it wasn't worth the hassle and found a new hangout.
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The Psycho-ologist
big A little a Bouncing B the system may have got you but it won't get me.
Joined: Jan '08
Posts: 439Subject: what to do about the noisy loitering kids
I'm in my first week in Prospect Heights and I've already run into a problem with teenagers loitering in the hallway til the wee hours of the morning. They were drinking and yelling about cell phones and sneakers. This happened last night and now I'm at work, totally exhausted. Normally, I would have called 311 or the police but I'm hesitant for reasons which I'll explain: I'm on the first floor of the building - there are two apartments on this floor and the other one is currently unoccupied. If I were to call the police, the kids would definitely know I did it. I also live by myself in my apartment so I could end up being targeted for retaliation. This is also why I didn't want to approach them that late at night. So, has anyone else had similar issues? Were you able to address them effectively?
I have the same problem. Unfortunately there is really nothing you can do about it. The police will only respond and issue tickets if the kids are caught in the act. Often times, well at least in Sunset Park, they are not always forthcoming or willing to check out the complaint. What you can do is write your assembly man and your building management. Get other residents to petition to have cameras installed in your building or to chip in for a security gaurd to work the night shift temporrarily. That worked for a neighboring building where I live and I am trying to get the management to hire someone for about 3-5 months just to act as a deterrence so the kids will find some other place to hang out. By contacting your local assemblyperson you can build up better neighborhood police enforcement.a teaspoon of kisses and a drop of glee -
The Psycho-ologist
big A little a Bouncing B the system may have got you but it won't get me.
Joined: Jan '08
Posts: 439Another sneaky trick you can do is anonymously call an ACS case on each kid after you find out who their parents are. Or anonymously report drug activity coming from the apartments where those kids live. Also tip off the management. Management can and will remove nuisance tenants, especially ones suspected of drug selling.a teaspoon of kisses and a drop of glee -
I don't think that it's a good idea to waste ACS's already-limited resources, unless you really suspect there's neglect or abuse. Like the idea of calling the management company.
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BKChickie » I don't think that it's a good idea to waste ACS's already-limited resources, unless you really suspect there's neglect or abuse. Like the idea of calling the management company.
Well, if they're out of the home in the wee hours drinking, there's definitely some sort of parental supervision problem. I feel a little hypocritical pointing that out because I certainly found ways to get out and drink in high school myself, but I didn't ever do it loudly in the hallway right outside the apartment of someone trying to get to sleep. -
I had the same problem when I first moved to NY 30 years ago. I complained to management about kids and little was ever done. They could never catch them and the super didn't live in the building. So I started saving old beer in a bucket among other things. Whenever I couldn't sleep I'd throw a bucket of this shit down the stairs. After a couple of these episodes the super begged me to call him any time. The first time the kids were actually back they were gone, didn't know what hit'em.
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modsquad » So I started saving old beer in a bucket among other things. Whenever I couldn't sleep I'd throw a bucket of this shit down the stairs. After a couple of these episodes the super begged me to call him any time. The first time the kids were actually back they were gone, didn't know what hit'em.
lol! awesome!
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since its summertime and kids are out of school, try "renting" some teenagers you know, or can find through neighbor contacts, and set them up in the hallway earlier in the day to "claim" the territory.
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How about getting a big scary dog and let him run around the hallway at night?
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BoogieKnight » Yeah open the door and tell them to move it along - it's late and they're loud. If they give you shit just shut the door and call the cops. If they're young and they live there the chances of any sort of real retaliation is pretty small. Even if the kids' parents are assholes no one wants to deal w/ the cops at 3am.
I agree with this tactic. At this rate, they're probably still doing it because they figure you and anyone else they're bothering (if they're in the common hallway, sound travels) are too chickenshit to do anything about it. They probably live in the building, so I'd tell the super or call the management company too if it continues. -
modsquad » I had the same problem when I first moved to NY 30 years ago. I complained to management about kids and little was ever done. They could never catch them and the super didn't live in the building. So I started saving old beer in a bucket among other things. Whenever I couldn't sleep I'd throw a bucket of this shit down the stairs. After a couple of these episodes the super begged me to call him any time. The first time the kids were actually back they were gone, didn't know what hit'em.
Ha! Love it!apollonia666 » Well, if they're out of the home in the wee hours drinking, there's definitely some sort of parental supervision problem.
Good point, but I somewhat suspect that the ACS couldn't care less (although they should) about kids who are properly housed, clothed, and reasonably fed (hey, beer has calories), boozing it up in an apartment building. If I were the management company, though, I would be very concerned about underaged drinking in the common spaces of my building--especially after I had been notified about the matter in writing (you did send a letter about this by return-receipt, certified mail, right?) Can you say "lawsuit" when one of those drunk idiots falls down the stairs and breaks a leg? -
BKChickie » [quote="modsquad"]I had the same problem when I first moved to NY 30 years ago. I complained to management about kids and little was ever done. They could never catch them and the super didn't live in the building. So I started saving old beer in a bucket among other things. Whenever I couldn't sleep I'd throw a bucket of this shit down the stairs. After a couple of these episodes the super begged me to call him any time. The first time the kids were actually back they were gone, didn't know what hit'em.
Ha! Love it!apollonia666 » Well, if they're out of the home in the wee hours drinking, there's definitely some sort of parental supervision problem.
Good point, but I somewhat suspect that the ACS couldn't care less (although they should) about kids who are properly housed, clothed, and reasonably fed (hey, beer has calories), boozing it up in an apartment building. If I were the management company, though, I would be very concerned about underaged drinking in the common spaces of my building--especially after I had been notified about the matter in writing (you did send a letter about this by return-receipt, certified mail, right?) Can you say "lawsuit" when one of those drunk idiots falls down the stairs and breaks a leg?[/quote] I think the point is that you would lie to ACS about all kinds of outrageous shit.giggity giggity -
The Psycho-ologist » Another sneaky trick you can do is anonymously call an ACS case on each kid after you find out who their parents are.
are you serious? with ACS already being completely overtaxed and overburdened by the sheer number of real abuse cases, i think that's an irresponsible suggestion.Get your paws off my canned chicken -
I hope anybody that reports a false crime get caught and arrested. There enough real shit that goes on in this city. How dare someone suggest a false report.
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have you tried asking them nicely to keep it down because you are sleeping? I say this because I knew of a very similar situation and that's all it took. As it happened in that case, both first floor apts were vacant for quite some time so it became a place where the kids could hang out without bothering anyone. Once someone moved in and let them know that they were bothering someone they moved along. It took a few times of asking, old habits are hard to break, but there really wasn't any issue. Most likely these kids don't realize they are pissing you off. If you ask nicely and they tell you to f-off then you can take the other measures. On the other hand, if you just take other measures without asking first, then you may get some retaliation. 9 times out of 10 people will be respectful if asked nicely, even kids, best to give it a try.
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Just about every reply offered so far in this thread is ridiculous. Being 'firm' or confrontational with neighborhood kids will only turn it into an ego/macho thing, inviting them to target you specifically, and calling the cops will obviously do nothing to solve the problem aside from temporarily. Coming from a former loitering/troublemaking youth, the best thing you can do with these kids is open the door, smile easily, and explain to them very nicely that you're trying to get some sleep. Then apologize and thank them. Just like Ben said. Any other way will do nothing to solve your problem.
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hey you can also buy that noise thing on the net, a low frequency device that only teenagers can hear and apparently it drives them nutsThe life that has borne me me through these years is still in my hands and in my eyes. Wether i have subdued it, i know not. But so long as it is there it will seek its own way out, heedless of the will that is within me. Erich Maria Remarque
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Out of 22 replies thus far, only Ben and Obamanut have hit the nail on the head. I would get to know these kids and explain to them how they are impeding your peace and tranquility at 3 am. They may turn out to be your best allies. Kindness goes a long way.Everything you believe to be true, is a lie.
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Subject: Thank you all
Well, the same exact thing happened last night but on a larger scale. This time they had music playing and more people. They were smoking marijuana and talking about "going to get their gun" to get back at someone. I think they may actually be in their early 20s - it's hard to tell for sure through my peep hole and I've never seen them during daytime hours. So, I made an executive decision and called the cops, who came right away and cleared them out. Thinking about moving! -
I've had occasion over many years of managing loft buildings and small apartment buildings to have to deal with these kind of problems. Since you had no direct confrontation with these people they can't really be sure who called the cops. It is also very unlikely the police said anything about who might of called. The lack of a direct "relationship" would also preserve their fragile egos, you haven't dissed them personally. However, having said this, don't be afraid to call 911 at the smallest provocation, even if it is only a "gut" feeling. I have nothing but respect for the cops in situations like this. This is why most of them become cops in the first place. These people will see right away that you are more trouble than you are worth.
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I say just call the cops.Tell them they are loitering and smoking weed in the public hallway and causing a ruckus.I wouldnt open my door and say anything to them for fear of retaliation.You cant even look at people too much nowadays furthermore say something because then they feel "disrespected".If you can see what some are wearing and give a description that will help.
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I did call the cops, who responded very efficiently and kicked them out. What concerns me is that it's now pretty obvious that I'm the one who called. I kind of stick out like a sore thumb in this building and I'm also the only person currently residing on the floor in question. I saw the other apt on my floor up on craigslist a couple weeks ago and it has since been taken down so I'm hoping I get a fellow floormate soon. Also, someone rang my doorbell approximately one hour after the cops came. May have been the cops but I think it was probably the kids who got kicked out.
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Jay B » Also, someone rang my doorbell approximately one hour after the cops came. May have been the cops but I think it was probably the kids who got kicked out.
Landlord is required to give you a peephole, FWIW.The landlord must provide a peephole in the entrance door of each apartment. Landlords of multiple dwellings in New York City must also install a chain-door guard on the entrance door to each apartment so as to permit partial opening of the door. (Multiple Dwelling Law Sec. 51-a, 51-c; NYC Admin. Code Sec. D26-20.05)
"It's only as boring as you make it."
You're making me want to poke my eyes out with a spoon. Stop that.
Bringing the term thin-skinned to a whole new level! -
Well, I was going to suggest bribing the little bastards with a dozen donuts or something then throwing in a "oh...by the way, I know you guys probably don't realize it but these walls are super thin and in the middle of the night its hard for me to sleep..." However, sounds like you were able to handle it and I hope it works out.Babies aren't meat! They're not even people!
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