311 for disgusting lot next door?

carmen

So the backyard of the house next door to me is disgusting. I live on the second floor of an apt and my bedroom window (and everyone elses on my side of the building) looks into a concrete "back yard" of a house that is a known crack dealer. There is one alley leading to the street that is totally clogged with food trash, debris, garbage and things that people drag in off of the street. Behind the main house and on the opposite side of the backyard is what used to be a nice house but is now totally burnt out and there is a homeless couple in there. They know the people who own and/or live in the front house (due to recreational activities, I think!) and are "sanctioned" to "live" there.
The problem isnt the homeless people- its the fact that they drag in garbage and all sorts of disgusting shit in off the street and pile it up in the backyard. They collect cans and bottles but take to drinking nightly and breaking them very loudly on the concrete. They drag in everything from thrown out couches to mattresses to giant stuffed kangaroos, shopping carts, bikes, strollers, lamps, even a washing machine once. The stuff comes and goes, I have no idea why they collect it.


Not only is it a horrible eyesore, its disgusting and causes TONS of flies in the summer. I've also been told that the one time that they cleaned it up, tons of rats surfaced and our building became infested for months. They're loud and i even smells during warmer days.


Is this something I can call 311 for?! Its private property so I guess they can keep it however they want to a certain extent but its really disgusting and HAS to be a public health issue...



this is near the corner of Bedford and Lafayette, in case anyone else lives in the building haha

limestonekid

My minimal understanding of 311 is that you could definitely call them about something like this situation.

Sounds to me like it's a health hazard.

remi_ch

311 would be a good place to start.

NY1 ran a segment a few months back where the city was called in to clear objects from a private yard when neighbors complained.

Video footage of a functioning crackhouse might be popular on YouTube as well.

carmen

Yea, I'm thinking I'm going to call this weekend...