RATS!

That's disturbing that city workers were forced to clean up that man's yard because of his junkyard dump heap and his own pure laziness to do it himself! I'm surprised though that it took so long to do something about it!

Another neighbor said that she called the city after a rat “half the size of a cat” recently chased her children across the street into her driveway and up onto the front porch..

The mental image is pricelss. If a rabid, crazy, child-eating rat was p.o.'d enough to chase kids out if its own territory, across a street, up a driveway..why stop at the front porch? Are we sure no cars have been stolen in that area? Any new meth labs been set up? You know how those rats can be. Nothing but trouble. Maybe some new graffiti? Rat gangs? The 18th Street Rat Kings? This is going to entertain me for days.

meanwhile, there is a live working garage with leaky vehicles on center street...is it ia case of who is making more money? the dying residents and rotting mystery odors...or the one man garage offering services beyond warranty. Parking a junk car that does nothing...is uhhh...NOTHING. Crazier than a gay marriage bill...

18th Street

Imagine.

obamaism -here we go the right to property is lost ..... remeber its still thiers -the supreme court would have a problem with this -how did it endanger another "? the rat complaints were not part of the decision by the court...just propery titled to them in thier property whats next no suv's allowed obama?

Im jsut being the devils advocate here but remember the rights your giving up.

Look I'm one of the neighbors it wasn't a junk car it was 3 vans 3 RVs a car and a bus then they took out well over 100 tons of trash they started at 8am and they did not get done till 8pm I counted over 25 trips with dump trucks and I was not here all day it had nothing to do with money and for that matter the rats, and yes, that's right 100 tons of trash this was a long time coming you try living next to that see how you like it ( for me the rats were the last straw)

OH and all those junk cars were full to the brim with junk and trash and old food stuff that's were the rats made there home and this has been in the courts for years it has nothing to do with obamaism or giving up rights it about the health and safety of the neighborhood trust me if you lived next to this house you would feel the same way

kwondo:

Thanks for sharing ,kwondo....and glad they have finally done something about it. It must have been really hard living so close to those deplorable conditions.

And what ignorance ......tying this situation to our President. I think I have heard everything now!!

It comes down to zoning I’m sure too, you can’t have a junk yard in a residential area. That much crap in your yard, all the city has to do is say you not within the zoning rules. Good job for the city, for having enough berries to due something for the people.

Rats half the size of cats??? You just made Stephen King richer.

so---where did all the rats that lived in all that junk....go??

Clean up, fine, but were it my place I would take issue with them removing the fairly neatly stacked pile of lumber that was next to the house....

Where was the code enforcement officer for the city. This person did not start this huge illegal dump yesterday? Guess you can find the code enforcement officer at Dunkin Donuts instead of doing his job.

I hope the city sends a bill, especially since this is the 2d time. There is no excuse except laziness for letting things get to this point, that includes the city not doing something sooner. If people want to live in a slum let them move not start one of their own.

I'm glad the neighbors complained. I had a neighbor years ago that moved in next door and before long the place looked like a public dump. And the rats prompted my complaint. He was ordered to clean it up, which he did. Chris 1943, maybe by them taking the pile of lumber will teach him a lesson. If the city has to come and clean up his mess, then EVERYTHING GOES. They didn't go there to pick and choose what was good or bad. I bet the neighbors who complained are paying allot more taxes then this lazy sack of crap and yet they have to look at his dump. And the city should send him the bill and enforce the payment.

donnelly the rats went back to aguasta

mainejeff LOL at your post! I was thinking the same thing when reading this story, people have wondered where Mr King gets his themes for writing from....right down the road from his neighborhood....and I have seen rats that would appear that size also!! I think mostly in NYC though....if this is the second time this has happened then why did the city let things get so trashy again after the first? Must have been quite disgusting to see the mess and the Rats!! Someone should buy those workers lunch today and don't go for Chinese takeout either!!

I'm another one of the neighbors and want to point out that code enforcement had been working on this for years. Brenda Bilotta is not just hanging out at DD; I'd say she is doing her job nicely. The family has been able to stop the forced cleanup in the past due to transferring ownership of the property from one family member to another. Although the rats had nothing to do with the court case, the fact that so many neighbors have called with rat concerns prompted the city to move as fast as possible once they got the latest court decision so the family couldn't do something to delay the cleanup. Also, there were items that were not removed from the property and when code enforcement learned there were some needed items in one of the RV's a neighbor took one of the family members out to the RV to get the stuff and I am planning to take her out today to get more. As far as where did the rats go- the rats have been spreading for a while now and will just move along looking for food and shelter. We have lots of traps set. I'm sure the rat problem will continue for awhile and will probably spread to Ohio, 17th and Bailey Street quickly.

oops- kwondo is my husband :) posting from his desktop- I'm alicia.

I see sooo many places like this..I just dont get why the towns dont do something before it gets so bad. I dont think you should be able to have more than 1 unregistered/unisured vehicle on your property..If its broke and done..get rid of it..dont use it as a trash bin..I have seen livestock feeding around junk cars...how nasty..all the car fluids on the ground..grosses me out. I had to deliver something to a house, and the front porch had at least 50-100 garbage bags on it..most torn open..a rat ran by when I got near stairs..needless to say..I aint going back there. also..there are small kids in the house..just gross.

I dont wanna hear ..we dont have the $$$ to clean it..Doesnt cost anything to be clean..if you dont let it out of control in the first place. Also..find a way of making people contribute to their clean-up if the town has to get to the point of doing it. No one should ride for free..they made the mess..help clean it..imagine what the inside is like..ewwww..(shivers) They need a board of Health here to look after these matters...before its so bad. Have a nice day everyone :)

I would not want to live next door to him and my neighbor is a farmer who has rats on the farm I am calling the city!

Who gets to pay for this clean up?

LOL Chris I see that also not like that lumber was thrown everywhere it was neatly stacked. Rats? Um there everywhere. Now they just little babys in your house! OMG Kill them in the snakes that live in the field lol. Free kittens anyone want one?

ATTENTION CITY EMPLOYEES READING THIS

There is another yard full of trash (not just debris, but actual bags of trash) on Allen St., between Hammond and 14th.

It's been like that for three years at least.

If you are going after one citizen...you need to go after all of them.

How disgusting that people live like this. I could easily come up with a list of 15 other places in town that could stand the same treatment.

hey confused YOU RAMBLE

Chris-----If it were my place , I would be ashamed to the depths of my soul! I can't stand filth and plain nastiness! And anyone that blames the president for this mess is just plain nuts! Can you imagine what the Inside must be like?? A horror show!! And I've seen the Allen St. trash. Disgusting. And there are a lot more then 15 that live this way in this city! There is one around the corner from me that even the rats won't go near!

There is another city dump within the city limits - Located at 14 Wiley Street - Absolutely disgusting - both the house and the yard - The inside is even worst & there are children who live there !!!!

WOW. so where were the owners during this clean up? Were they inside the house? Are they disabled? I couldn't imagine living like that!! I can't imagine they are proud of it. Where do they get all this junk???

--

As for their rights, there are certain rules to follow depending on where you live, if they can't follow the rules then maybe they should move!

A neighbor's nastyness brings down the value of the homes around it. I would say the city is perfectly justified in the cleanup and giving the pigs the bill. They might be the nicest people in the world but if you live like a pig, you are a pig. I live in a small town (only recently put on the map) and we have a few of these types of people. I ONLY wish that we had the enforcement to get them to clean up their junk.

vchapes: I would be awefully saddened to think that the owners just sat and watched from the windows...but probably. Not surprising if they let it go that far in the first place.

There really wasn't much said about the owners, is it a family, what are their ages, do they have mental disabilities? It was good that the city finally stepped in and cleaned up the mess but I am thinking there must be some underlying issues with the owners other than laziness.

maybe that should send a message to some other home owners that people aren't going to deal with crapy unsafe yards. Plus it also lowers others property values.

The 18th Street Rat Kings... lol

To the people who are sticking up for the homeowners of this filthy,rat infested property, perhaps you'd feel differently if YOU lived next door, or across the street, or anywhere near this house. This is why there are rules and ordinances to follow. What you do or don't do to maintain your property becomes the city's business if it interferes with the safety and health of other people. Trying to tie this to the President is childish and pathetic. What is the bad thing is that it took the city so long to be able to get a court order to clean it up because the homeowners were playing games by switching ownership. Being a homeowner brings on responsibility, and those who can't handle that shouldn't be homeowners.

Thanks to the folks who cleaned up the mess, I hope you felt better at the end of the day when you could see progress made.

As for the owners, they clearly had a problem with compulsive hoarding. Lots of people have trouble passing up a good deal whether or not you need the stuff, and an even harder time throwing something away because eventually, you might need it. I have been in property management for 10 years, and some junk apartments just make you want to cry while you are vomiting from the filth. Couches upended to make more floor space, a rat maze of tiny paths through piles and piles of trash, fly strips so full of flies that I couldn't see the tape.

When I've cleaned up these places, it's been very hard on the occupants, but there's usually a sense of relief after it's done. I'm guessing the owners in this case were watching, were angry, but had no means of correcting the problem themselves when it had gotten so far out of hand. Maybe today they'll feel some closure if not relief, because the battle is over.

kal778 It's a family with a father, a few adult children and two teenaged children. The kids are active with a church. They pretty much keep to themselves. I think the situation is a combination of mental health issues and a belief that they do not need to follow the rules and regulations the rest of us do.

Unfortunately, there are slobs like this in just about every town and most town governments are reluctan or unable t to deal with it. I am glad to see this good example of what can be done about such slobs with available laws. Thank you Bangor and keep up the good work regardless of what some right wing conseative slobs are inclined to say about it.

I hear the homeowner commutes to work at Jackson Lab every day, is this true ? Does he bring these rats home with him ?

When people choose to live in a filthy and disgusting enviroment, why do some think that it's a mental health issue?? It's simply an issue of being a hoarder and just plain being lazy and nasty! This is not the first time this mess has been cleaned up , and I'm willing to bet it won't be the last! And freerange, I know exactly what you mean! It makes you sick to see the way some people live, and they Like it that way!!

I saw a show recently about a faimily that stepped in on thier mothers behalf because she suffered from 'hoarders syndrome' And dscribed how it had gotten worse over the years. It was described as a type of mental health issue. I wonder if that comes into play in this instance.

I hope they send them the bill. Why should upstanding citizens have to pay every few years for them to haul out 100 tons of garbage?

I haven't been by there today but I bet the trash is already piling up for the next scheduled "pickup" a few years from now.

Limlib... he should be TAKING them to work with him!

I dont blame the people in that neighborhood for complaining.. I would do the same. It has nothing to do with our president, it has everything to do with people being disgusting lazy and ignorant. There is absolutely no need of any residence looking like that and having that much garbage! That is just ignorance!!

Check the fenced are beside the old police station on Court Street...Unbelievable amount of trash.

Eighteenth Street has rats......we get our legislators in Augusta.....guess Eighteeth Strret got the better end of that deal

who is paying for all this?

My Aunt and Uncle have the same problem with their nasty neighbors, here in Ellsworth. The City of Ellsworth told them to put up a FENCE. Imagine it! The neighborhood is beautiful, except for this one place. The city won't help so what do you do? These people are strong and healthy. They are also lazy to the extreme. That's my opinion.

I don't think that this person is lazy as some have stated. While I don't know them personally, it sounds to me like they have a mental illness"hoarding" where they can't throw anything out. It's well documented and effects a lot people. I believe that the city was well within it's rights to "clean" this yard. I also hope that someone at the social services level is involved to try to get this person the mental health care that they may need.

OK so hording may be an issue... that doesnt explain the need to HORDE their trash inside junk cars!!!! If you are going to throw something out.... go all out and take it to the dump, or put it out for the trash truck... I dont think the junk car doubles as a damn vaporizor!! (sp)

-

Why is everyone asking who is paying for this!?!? "Nicklas said that the city plans to bill Husek for the cleanup, which he estimates could be several thousand dollars, though he is skeptical that the owner will be able to pay it. " <--- i think that sums it up! If they don't pay... chances are you will!

OK, i understand that this situation had gotten totally out of hand, but why did it take the city to clean things up. Have we forgotten what the word NEIGHBOR is supposed to mean. I did not see any mention about any of the homeowners that lived nearby stepping up to help this family, except after the fact. Whenever my family lives in a "neighborhood" where there is a home in need of repair or yard work, or even just offering to haul something to the dump, we alway knock on the door and ask if we can help. For years, we kept a neighbor's yard mowed and picked up because he was unable to do it for himself. And when my husband became ill and I was unable to do the necessary up-keep, another neighbor stepped up and helped us both. One of the posts here stated that the family is active in the church; where was the congregation while this problem was getting out of control? I just feel that there are any number of ways to resolve a problem like this before the city is forced to step in. "I'm jus' sayin'.", as the vernacular goes.

nasty.. nasty.. nasty... i have driven by that place for so long wondering why it was okay for that... so glad it got cleaned up, now hopefully the city can target some of the other nasty propertys around town

Of course I agree that neighbors should help neighbors... BUT... what are you supposed to do? Go up to a house owned by people that you may have said, "Hello, nice day isn't it?", once or twice, knock on the door and say, "Excuse me, I had some extra time today and noticed that you could use some help cleaning up your yard." ???? WHAT?! Don't be silly! You aren't going to make FRIENDS with someone you just told was a slob.

God love those city workers - I think I woulda called in sick that day....dayum

Scollins, if you chose to live next to a farm than you can't complain about the rats. If there is grain around-there WILL be rats.

This family most likely has some mental health issues but that does not excuse their behavior.

I wonder what the conversation was when asked why they keep garbage?

I believe Code Enforcement lost a position with this years budget. So we have a growing city, lots of buildings, lots of codes and less people to enforce the the laws. Yep, that sounds safe, glad my mill rate didnt go up a couple of cents. So the answer is no they are not at DD's.

While there is some merit to the "hoardng illness" defense, some people are just plain lazy. I'm glad I don't live next to them. This is why homeowner associations are so big in other parts of the country. Who wants to invest huge money into a property only to have the next door neighbor create an eyesore? Only in Maine do you see a $400,000 home next door to a 1958 mobile home with blue tarp roofing, three rusted out junk cars, piles of old rotted wood and bald tires stacked everywhere. I believe in landowner rights, but when someone elses lack of ambition destroys the resale value of my property, thats a problem.

Interesting that nowhere in this story does the reporter share what ordinance was allegedly broken. The rats are more recent, and the city is forcing a case which started in 2007. How much clutter is too much? I've not heard of a limit to the amount of property allowed on one's land, so I would be curious what law was broken. A major oversight on the part of the reporter, who gave the rats more than ample wordcount (since they have no bearing on the case).

"According to Assistant City Solicitor Paul Nicklas, who was present during the cleanup, the condition of the house violated “several provisions of the city code,” chief among them the International Property Maintenance Code, which deals with property maintenance and waste disposal. "

I think all of you have way too much time on your hands, get out from behind your computers and support our fine socialist goverment by getting to work and helping pay for this cleanup with your hard earned tax dollars!!!

It would have been cheaper for the neighbors to just help... but now they are going to pay for it in tax money. Granted, who wants to approach the 'goonies' next door? How would you initiate that?

with a match maybe?

gw2kpro, the entire article deals with property maintenance and waste disposal. What about it? What about this person's property violated code? Several empty kerosene jugs and motor oil cans don't require "a police escort, two dump trucks, a front-end loader and an excavator" how much do they take away? how do they measure the removal against the violation? If it's just hazardous materials, they could've been taken away in the trunk of a car. My issue is with the idea that the state shows up, and removes the contents of your yard- without respect to righting the particular violation(s) of the code as would seem happened given the heavy equipment.

I think what you may be missing vchpes is that these people did not want their property cleaned up. It looks like they went to a lot of effort to avoid legal action taken against them. If one of the neighbors had approached them, they would probably have been told to mind their own business.

I actually went through something like this a few years back with a neighbor. She had a bunch of junk vehicles in her yard, and when the neighbors asked her if they could help remove them, she was verry offended. She felt that she would use them again someday, even though they were litteraly sunk up to the doors in the lawn. Just a nutball. The city forced her to get rid of them.

"If they don't pay... chances are you will! "

City should put a lean on their home, evict them and sell it to pay for the cost of both cleanups.

What joker thinks these people will pay for the clean up? They have done it before, have they paided anything? Put them in JAIL.

I wonder what the inside of the house looks like if the outside has rats around it. I wonder if kids live in the home?

Bottomline is these people live like pigs!!!! Bet anything we are giving them State aid too! The rats will find another home near by to move too and I bet they also live within the home being cleaned.

There was a situation like this on Seventh St., many years ago. Old fellow, custodian at the church, quiet guy, no known relatives. Mental illness. The City went through hell trying to get him to clean up, but were afraid of a violent confrontation, or the owner going furhter into the twilight zone.

There are other issues with which to be concerned in these cases. You read about shoot-outs and other violent acts, with perpetrators using an excuse that they were forced into acting out. Remember, more often than not, after a serial killer is found or violent action takes place in a school or church, or mall, the neighbors always say the individual was..."a quiet guy, kept to himself."

Even if the property owner never pays for the clean-up, it was a good use of taxpayer dollars.

I this that's its just deplorable that chersully isn't showing any empathy for these poor misguided folks!

With all the social services available in Bangor why haven't they gotten the social support that cher and her friends support?

As many stated above - the clean up doesn't solve the problem until these folks are helped.

Before moving back to Maine, I lived in a city where the code "enforcement" officer actually drove around and checked on places like that. It was a very clean city and no one was allowed to have trash in their yard no matter how much money they had. Code Enforcement, city Engineer, City manager, They all just sit in their offices and collect the fat paychecks that the City Council gives them. Heaven forbid they actually go out and work for their pay.

That's what i meant boogyman- sarcasim! :) Newportres, depending on the conditions of the house, the town would make more than what they would need to cover the clean up cost and the family would be without a home. That's not a wise decision.

Theres a trailerpark in bangor that if your lawn gets too long, they will come mow it and charge you $40 and hour, if you mow it yourself and blow the grass into the street. they will charge you $40 an hour to come clean that grass up. They wont ask your permission either. You can't plant flowers without permission. If someone wants to pile junk out in the back 40 go for it, if it is offending the public thats when it should be an issue. What about that man that lived near the intersection of Essex and Stillwater?? I was like 10 when this happened, so 12 years ago, he painted his house a bright flashy color... purple, pink, something... Bangor FORCED him to re-paint it. Thats ridiclous.

I think I know that trailer park!! My friend tried to move in and had a daughter age 2 and they told her they had a "special corner" for tenents with kids!!! Ha ha And the house you are talking about certainly had CHARACTER!! It wasn't a dump on the outside though :)

hey dumb..like the coffe shop..you dont like ..dont go there..i like to ramble :)

richard11 your an idot. What rights should one person have to be able to distroy a residental area. The people who follow the law

are the ones who always have to suffer because of one other person. Giving up your rights ................because you can't collect a

bunch of useless stuff in your yard, you make a really stupid point which holds no merit at all. I can only imagine what the inside looks

like of the house in question. Maybe it should be condemned. If you have the money to own a home then you should by law be expected

to do the up keep on it and don't destroy the entire street, because you are either to lazy or dense to be a productive citizen of your

neighborhood. Like where did you go to school richard11, your spelling says what your mentality level is.

YES!! I knew it was that park the second I read your post!!! :) You can enter off Burleigh Rd. into the Bomarc Industrial Circle or on Broadway! I don't blame gramma!

in the city I live in, if you have a junk car in your yard, you must have a registration plate on it, (unless it/they are in a garage/storage space or barn) which means DMV requires you to have proof of insurance. 10 cars, 10 registration plates, 10 proofs of insurance. If you don't have any, they will slam you with all kinds of fines...on...and on!!! If you don't pay the fines on time, you loose your driving privilege. Believe me....THEY will get your attention REALLY quick!!!!!!

The same with trash, if you don't remove your trash can from the curb within 48 hours, they slam you with a $100.00 fine!!!! Believe me....THEY will get your attention REALLY quick!!!!!!

Sounds like to me this guy sure could go and get all of this trash and junk BUT was TOO LAZY to remove any of it, I say "SLAM" this guy with all kinds of violations & fines. Believe me....THEY will get "HIS" attention REALLY quick!!!!!! Obviously from what I'm reading, this IS the city's fault for NOT having these different codes on the books or in place!!! And if that's the case, the city had NO business coming over there and removing ANYTHING nor can they/should they slam him with trash removal charges!!!!!!! AND as far as I'm concerned "HE" may have a case where he will/should sue the city for removing his private property without proper authorization!!!!!!

Hope everyone is feeling all comfy and righteous now that they've determined they are all better human beings then these folks.

Geez I'm glad I don't live in the city!

Harry did you read the article? It's not about righteousness. This family has had to do this before! They have made their bed. Well, probably not... :)

look at that mess

this is bangor maine not somalia

"FrankC":

Very interesting....very. Most here were saying the same thing I was.....not condemning the people, but just the conditions.....but you picked out mine from way earlier in the day, or last night, and did not mention anyone else.

"Cher and her friends.."...yes, very interesting indeed....

Isn't Lewiston little Samalia??????

I wonder what the INSIDE of there house looks like

obamism -lose your rights and love it -bye freedom, this is obamistic opression -right to life liberty and property -ordinaces are not enforceable and the highest level of courts most are too ill defined or as in this case impinge on a freedom -dont forget this -Im not being anything but honest about the liberties we are losing every day -go along wiht this whats next -the guy with the hummer like me get killed for it?

hey you guys blame bush for eveything time to blame obama for everything -hes not my president

mcbell you cant win on merit so you go after someone personlly speaks of your mind obama lover

.

Zis iz zee New Vold Oader, you vill conform or vee vill crush you.

Sheeple, you must inform on your neighbors for zay are enemies of zee state.

If any protest, zay vill be next !

Today za junk, Tomorrow zee Vold !

.

rats like the water and if I am correct, 18th street is close enough to the river so that they could get here from there. I think that the main issue would be the mess and trash, I don't know about anyone else, but I don't like to smell trash. If the ones who have no problem with the trash and junk and just plain nasty looking yard, move to Hampden and live near the landfill, then you can enjoy your trash and the smell that goes along with it. And by the way, I think that the cost of this clean up should be put into a lien against the property. Noone else will want to buy it because of the condition, mabye if the city eventually gets control of it, it might stay clean.

watch the video, I think that mabye one of the owners or someone that knows them walks right by the crews cleaning, looks like she could use a little move and lose, what a bunch of laziness and irresponsibility.

Hardworking... do you mean the woman in the pink?? i think shes a reporter... carrying a camera...

RFM... that is stupid!!! I would move!! I have4 cars in my driveway... 3 of which arent registered, my truck and my husbands truck ran out in march (oops) and we are holding a friends car while hes in vegas... ran out in may... only thing legal is my camaro until next month... and i drive all 3 registered or not. I would hate to live in whatever town you live in.... which is?

This is so third-world. I do love a good "rat chasing children" story though. How about some video of the rats?

richard11 I have a real problem with people like you thinking that everyone is out to get you, but I suppose when you say things

like giving up your rights because someone has a issue with you being a lousy citizen in your neighborhood and there is a law or

judgement agaist you. And what the ..... does Obama have to do with any of it. This country was in a free for all before with bush in

charge. Obviously the courts thought it was so much of hazard to the other residents they were willing to pay the cost up front

to clean up the area and probably will never get any of it back no matter how many times they send the bill to the home owners.

There is always one bad apple in the barrel, making everyone pay is always the moto. When you chose not to do what has been

ordered to do by any court you do give up rights, but ..............you were given plenty of time to make a right choice to do the right

thing. There is no logic to your comment. Giving up rights ,what a lame excuse for being a pig.

chersully2000

I wasn't aware of the rules that you have to read all posts before you make a comment.

I read yours and a few more, was struck at your judgmental post and lack of empathy, thus my comment.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought you normally post about all the good that social services will do for others that can't do for themselves.

re 3:10 PM

I have never been accused of having lack of empathy by anyone who knows me. You know me not at all. I think it is quite strange. You took what I said and slanted it. I do think the place needed to be cleaned up for health reasons, as most everyone else did here. It is that simple. It affected other people as well (neighbors, children.) It is a no-brainer. I do no think this family who owned the home are hurt in any way....no one is telling them they have to move, as far as I know. This has nothing at all to do with social services helping people sometimes....nothing at all. One has nothing to do with the other. People here found those conditions deplorable.....no one (at least not me) said the people were deplorabe.

You do not seem to be very perceptive. Learn not to take things out of context.

I work on a city crew (not in Bangor) and I cant imagine having to go and do something like this. Just the smell alone would be enough to do me in. Let alone having to dance around rats that you scare from their hiding places! I hope they(the city) dont let this become a problem again.

mcbell -your missing the point -you would trade you freedom for a nice looking lawn -your an idiot -the supreme court has consistantly overturned thse kinds of ordinaces and my advice to this family is to sue bangor for 5 million for defamation and -guesss what they will win ... mark my words unlike those of you like mcbell who do not see the big picture and dwell in the moment - freedom belongs to mainers not to the government -starts small and progresses -you might notice socailism began with obamaism -you must be one of the needy getting a check if you suport him -your views of bush tell me all I need to know of your money sucking socialistic character-get off my dime mcbell get a job

I currently live in Florida, but I used to live directly across from this family for 5 years back 1984 - 1985. He had junk out front even then and we complained to the city at that time and was told there was nothing that could be done. He home schooled his children, they were not allowed outside of the home to play with others in the neighborhood. He was a really weird guy. Strange things used to happen over that at night. He was very secretive and very strange. I am glad they finally did something about him.

I watched the video, I read the story, I read the comments. What is going to happen to this family? Are they going to move and bring the same problem with them? What is really going to be effective is if they are taught (or re-taught) HOW to keep the clutter out of their life. It takes someone or an agency, coming into the home and working through it with them. A one time clean up is just going to get rid of this particular mess. My assumption based on what I have read, is that this is a chronic problem for this family, and while they may 'get' that they need to actually remove the trash and the clutter, there may be a disconnect that it needs to go out consistently. That you can live with basic necessities and not have to rely on needing some useless item that had value once upon a time. Skills that would need to be taught would begin with something like how much of any one item you actually need. Maybe a time period of training (with kindness...) where the family gets some help instead of criticism, might cost much less in the end in terms of money, neighborhood friends, and dignity. The time to help is now, not when it builds up again. I think you would find, that even though it would be a rough road, the reward might be generational. A great website for such things is flylady.net, there are probably others out there, but that is the one I found.

1whocares2: That was nice that you shared that. Hopefully it will help down the line, but according to a previous poster who lived across the street from this family, things were not very good there in many respects. Children should not be isolated and kept away from their friends and other neighborhood children. Very strange and unhealthy.

I hear you, I just see this as getting worse instead of better if there isn't a real solution. I wonder if it was the mess that kept them isolated socially. Having regular intervention would at least open the door to other interactions with the family. I just wish that something good can come out of this. Yes, the yard is picked up (I know that is an understatement), but we are talking about years of habit that won't magically disappear just go away because we say it should. Maybe the parents grew up in a home that was clean, but the children certainly have not had that benefit or been taught those skills. They are either going to have to figure it out on their own, or it will just continue with the next generation. Since there hasn't been much interaction with the 'outside' world, how are they going to learn? My question is: Are we a part of the solution? What can we as a community do? It sounds like this is not the only family. And then the other question is: At what point are we violating their constitutional rights? Is going in to help a violation, is leaving it alone until it builds up again a violation of the neighbors?

1whocares2: You raise some very good points and concerns. It is a real dilemma. And you are right....if those children have been kept isolated, how are they going to learn the necessary social skills,etc.? This is really something that needs to be addressed.

It is time the Town of Carmel got after the same problem on Rt 69 just before I95 heading toward Hampden. Just before the DOT garage, there are a couple of pig pens that ought to be cleaned up.

What will the city do if he adds more wrecks to his property to replace the junk that they just removed?

hi all, just for the record "hording "is a real disease.many people with this problem have underlying MR,mild to severe.

I am a mental health worker and these people can not say no to any thing.

maybe these folks could use a little compassion and maybe a diagnosis from an agency.

but....ya'll are right some are just downright LAZY. to bad with out a proper diagnosis it can not distinguish between the two.

as far as rats they are nasty but its natures way of "cleaning up edible trash"

have a good day ya'll

1whocares2: Agreed.

I could not agree wtih you more regarding cleaning up Third St. Unfortunately, Third St is considered 'lower' west side vs, 18th st or West Broadway. I am a third generation resident of the lower west side and live on Third St, and have complained for years to Code Enforcment, Police Dept and Public Works about the Third St. Rescue mission being nothing more than a FREE dumping station for people who leave 'donations' of junk. Third st is also a bus route for Bangor as well as a School bus pick up point for our kids and certain residences and The Rescue Mission has reached egregious conditions, that the city authorities have enabled and allowed for years. The junk adds costs to an otherwise noble attempt of the Rescue Missions goal of reselling to Bangor's growing indigent population. Also, just two addresses up on Third St. (the old school house yard) they have become a junk yard for boats, cars, equipment etc. thus challenging the very attempt by other residences to create a safe, respectful neighborhood. When voicing concern with an 'official' entity the usual bureaucratic response I recieved yielded little resolve. I intend to continue to voice my concerns, and perhaps this article will politicize it enough to get something done beyond giving those who live elsewhere, in 'cleaner' neighborhoods a feeling of less guilt and a sigh of relief that this kind of thing doesn't go on where they live and raise their kids. I have made a choice to live in this neighborhood, and I can't force others to change irresponsible behavior, but is it unreasonable to expect the City of Bangor to treat each neghborhood with the same enforcement audits?

Thanks.

It would have been nice if a church or the neighborhood might have extended a helping hand. It costs a lot of money to clean things up. It can cost a couple of hundred dollars to have a car hauled away. As it is, these folks now have a ten-thousand dollar bill and may lose their house. Did they object to the cleanup because they want to live in a junkyard, or did they object because they couldn't afford the sudden cleanup bill (who could)? It would have been a lot cheaper if done gradually. Did anyone offer to help them rent a dumpster?

No laughing matter certainly. Had a close relative who died from living in such conditions. Would like to see laws passed that force homeowners and especially tenants to maintain standards of cleanliness. As my wife says, if you haven't used it in a year then throw it out. Imagine what the inside of their house is like.....

Brewer appears to have stricter codes. Example you cannot block a driveway with junk cars because they obstruct the fire dept from gaining access in event of a fire. Last I knew it was a 3 month limit. However in those cases your car gets towed to the impound yard and is stripped for illegal drug search.

And no they don't have to put it back together. And yes you do have to get it out of impound in a reasonable amount of time...

I grew up on 18th St and can't imagine what it's been like for the residents of this once quaint neighborhood. The amount of "stuff" that was removed is not indicative of laziness. It is beyond that and leads me to think this might be "compulsive hoarding". Look it up on the web. It certainly fits the description. And what about the rats. Have none of you been down in the cemetery at night? River rats ARE half the size of a cat and aggressive. I tend to believe the woman's story. And I guess I shouldn't be amazed that President Obama is being blamed for the "loss of this person's right to property" by one of the previous writers. You have to see the humor in this sort of statement. Think about it, if someone is to blame it must be the black man.