The old lady next door - is missing...

I know our immediate neighbors, the two across the street the two on either side and now, the new couple kitty corner across the street because she is our veterinarian. The household directly across the street from us as our architect so we talked to him regularly and now that his work is done in our house here, he and DH go out to lunch now and then..

But I’m getting to know neighbors down the block because of this alcohol recovery house that’s going in next to them. They are raising a ruckus and want us neighbors further away from it to know about it and support their cause, which I do, but I do not believe there’s anything we can do to keep the alcohol recovery place out.

In my former city neighborhood we knew everyone on the block and we had parties with a few of them, and worked with them in the community garden. When you work with people, you really get to know them.

I was block captain so I was keeper of contact information for everyone on two blocks. It’s funny that a couple weeks ago someone from my old block contacted me because they needed to know how to contact a family member for someone who is living on the block. They hadn’t seen that old guy for several weeks and they wanted to know what was going on. I was the only one who knew his daughter and how to reach her.

Quote:

---

Our little block composed mostly of folks over 60 has an annual potluck dinner and holiday open house

---

pinkytoe, that sounds lovely! While I don't want to be besties with the neighbors, we really should make an effort to know who they are! One just assumes that they will always be there, until they aren't.

Locally if the police are called for a wellness check they break in if no one answers the door. I hope no one murdered her and stole her car. It doesn’t seem like she would leave her plants for a long period of time and not ask you to water them. My best friend and my son have a key to my house. Plus my dog sitter lives here and has a key and I have a key to her condo since her son lives out of town.

For my condo, the condo board has a key and they can and do go into my unit if something is amiss. I welcome that, and I purposely bought in a building with other units because I wanted someone on site who had eyes on the place because I am away from it so much.

I have owned 3 condos and no one had keys in any of them. I wouldn’t buy one where it was required. IL, I find it strange that the hoa would take on the liability that they could incur.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Teacher Terry

I have owned 3 condos and no one had keys in any of them. I wouldn’t buy one where it was required. IL, I find it strange that the hoa would take on the liability that they could incur.

---

it is a 100 year old building. We have plumbing problems. These are not faceless anonymous people who go in, last time was a fellow condo dweller who keeps his eye on the place and is the board member in charge of “maintenance.” And at this time last year I was getting my place ready for someone else to come in and live in it for six weeks, and two members of the board prepared my unit. All I had to do was put a few things in the closet

I guess I’ve never had the sense of “invading my space” that other people have. When perps broke into our house many years ago, I never had feeling of fear and shock because my space was invaded. I was pissed because they seemed to be ready to do harm to my small dogs, and then, of course, I was annoyed because they broke down our back door, and that required a fix of nearly $1000, and that was with DH doing all the work. They stole a tv which barely made a blip in my circle of concern.

And then, speaking of neighbors, we have a 51 year old neighbor I will call “ D” who has an intellectual disability who now lives alone after his mother died of Covid 3 years ago. This guy is quite independent and neighbors look after him.a He has two part time jobs and does not drive. He is a garbageman, and the garbage truck comes to pick him up on his work days and drops him off when his shift is over.

His other job is mowing lawns for people. My next door neighbor runs a shop fixing small motored vehicles and he keeps D’s equipment running. D drives his riding lawn mower to get groceries and for misc. errands.

It is not all rosy, though, because D keeps junk in his yard ( his mother kept the place immaculate) and he has signs all over about trespassing and etc, we donated a shed to him, hoping some of the front yard crap would go into it but so far…nope.

One of the concerned neighbors has a key because neighbor had gone to the ER years ago and had to stay at the hospital for a week and needed clothes, toothbrush etc. I’ll see if she’s is willing to go in and make sure she isn’t there. I’m guessing she’s not since the car isn’t there but who knows.

It doesn’t matter if it’s board members or not and I am on the board. In your case since you don’t live there full time it’s a different situation. I have 2 little dogs and someone could not notice them slipping out the front door, could claim my dog bite them, forget to lock my door, steal my jewelry, be nosy and look through my stuff, etc.

After their husbands died my mom and her sister rented apartments across the hall from each other in a new senior apartment building. They were paying full market rent yet management had the right to come in when they weren’t home and did. Because they were both immaculate they could tell if someone left footprints. They left as soon as their leases were done and moved into an adult only apartment complex.

I thought it was common in rental situations for the landlord to have access with reasonable notice.

In my condo building, many of the units are occupied part time because the owners have houses elsewhere. I welcome Nosey Parkers paying attention to everything going on.