Neighbor Is Neglecting His Property, in Connecticut

[Free as a bird]

My parents live in Connecticut.

One of the neighbors on the road has let his house "go", so that it is in deplorable shape. He also has approximately 13 vehicles in his driveway/ yard at all times. This is a single family home. It now looks like a slum dwelling.

When my father told the mayor of the town, he was told that the cars were left from the homeowner's business, which went under. However, this home is in a residentially zoned area, not a business area. Despite my father's complaint, nothing was done - - the cars are still there.

Another neighbor is using his yard and property to fix cars. There are generally 4+ cars there at a time on top of the family's cars. There is also one on blocks that has been in the yard for some time.

Is there any sort of statute or law in CT that would prohibit such things from happening?

The "look" of these properties is "bringing down" what is a nice, rural/ suburban road.

Could the police legally do anything about this?

In addition, I believe that there is an additional concern because the neighbor who is fixing the cars may well be changing oil, and I would seriously hope that he is not contaminating the water supply. (We have well water.)

Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated! Thanks very much.

[Happy Trails]

Dad needs to get put on the agenda for a town/city meeting and address this issue. (Bring pictures....) I would bet that there is a "blight" ordinance addressing these problems. Also he could contact the Health Department to address the oil issue.


The Connecticut statutes:

Sec. 7-148aa. Lien on real estate where fine for violation of blight ordinance is unpaid. Any unpaid fine imposed by a municipality pursuant to the provisions of an ordinance regulating blight, adopted pursuant to subparagraph (H)(xv) of subdivision (7) of subsection (c) of section 7-148 shall constitute a lien upon the real estate against which the fine was imposed from the date of such fine. Each such lien may be continued, recorded and released in the manner provided by the general statutes for continuing, recording and releasing property tax liens. Each such lien shall take precedence over all other liens filed after July 1, 1997, and encumbrances except taxes and may be enforced in the same manner as property tax liens.

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Sec. 7-148. Scope of municipal powers.
(7) Regulatory and police powers.
(H) Public health and safety.
(xv) Make and enforce regulations preventing housing blight, including regulations reducing assessments, provided such regulations define housing blight, and including regulations establishing a duty to maintain property and specifying standards to determine if there is neglect; prescribe fines for the violation of such regulations of not less than ten or more than one hundred dollars for each day that a violation continues and, if such fines are prescribed, such municipality shall adopt a citation hearing procedure in accordance with section 7-152c;

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Sec. 7-152c. Hearing procedure for citations. (a) Any municipality as defined in subsection (a) of section 7-148 may establish by ordinance a citation hearing procedure in accordance with this section. The Superior Court shall be authorized to enforce the assessments and judgments provided for under this section.

(b) The chief executive officer of any such municipality shall appoint one or more citation hearing officers, other than police officers or employees or persons who issue citations, to conduct the hearings authorized by this section.

(c) Any such municipality, at any time within twelve months from the expiration of the final period for the uncontested payment of fines, penalties, costs or fees for any citation issued under any ordinance adopted pursuant to section 7-148 or section 22a-226d, for an alleged violation thereof, shall send notice to the person cited. Such notice shall inform the person cited: (1) Of the allegations against him and the amount of the fines, penalties, costs or fees due; (2) that he may contest his liability before a citation hearing officer by delivering in person or by mail written notice within ten days of the date thereof; (3) that if he does not demand such a hearing, an assessment and judgment shall be entered against him; and (4) that such judgment may issue without further notice.

(d) If the person who is sent notice pursuant to subsection (c) of this section wishes to admit liability for any alleged violation, he may, without requesting a hearing, pay the full amount of the fines, penalties, costs or fees admitted to in person or by mail to an official designated by such municipality. Such payment shall be inadmissible in any proceeding, civil or criminal, to establish the conduct of such person or other person making the payment. Any person who does not deliver or mail written demand for a hearing within ten days of the date of the first notice provided for in subsection (c) of this section shall be deemed to have admitted liability, and the designated municipal official shall certify such person's failure to respond to the hearing officer. The hearing officer shall thereupon enter and assess the fines, penalties, costs or fees provided for by the applicable ordinances and shall follow the procedures set forth in subsection (f) of this section.

(e) Any person who requests a hearing shall be given written notice of the date, time and place for the hearing. Such hearing shall be held not less than fifteen days nor more than thirty days from the date of the mailing of notice, provided the hearing officer shall grant upon good cause shown any reasonable request by any interested party for postponement or continuance. An original or certified copy of the initial notice of violation issued by the issuing official or policeman shall be filed and retained by the municipality, and shall be deemed to be a business record within the scope of section 52-180 and evidence of the facts contained therein. The presence of the issuing official or policeman shall be required at the hearing if such person so requests. A person wishing to contest his liability shall appear at the hearing and may present evidence in his behalf. A designated municipal official, other than the hearing officer, may present evidence on behalf of the municipality. If such person fails to appear, the hearing officer may enter an assessment by default against him upon a finding of proper notice and liability under the applicable statutes or ordinances. The hearing officer may accept from such person copies of police reports, investigatory and citation reports, and other official documents by mail and may determine thereby that the appearance of such person is unnecessary. The hearing officer shall conduct the hearing in the order and form and with such methods of proof as he deems fair and appropriate. The rules regarding the admissibility of evidence shall not be strictly applied, but all testimony shall be given under oath or affirmation. The hearing officer shall announce his decision at the end of the hearing. If he determines that the person is not liable, he shall dismiss the matter and enter his determination in writing accordingly. If he determines that the person is liable for the violation, he shall forthwith enter and assess the fines, penalties, costs or fees against such person as provided by the applicable ordinances of the municipality.

(f) If such assessment is not paid on the date of its entry, the hearing officer shall send by first class mail a notice of the assessment to the person found liable and shall file, not less than thirty days or more than twelve months after such mailing, a certified copy of the notice of assessment with the clerk of a superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator together with an entry fee of eight dollars. The certified copy of the notice of assessment shall constitute a record of assessment. Within such twelve-month period, assessments against the same person may be accrued and filed as one record of assessment. The clerk shall enter judgment, in the amount of such record of assessment and court costs of eight dollars, against such person in favor of the municipality. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the hearing officer's assessment, when so entered as a judgment, shall have the effect of a civil money judgment and a levy of execution on such judgment may issue without further notice to such person.

(g) A person against whom an assessment has been entered pursuant to this section is entitled to judicial review by way of appeal. An appeal shall be instituted within thirty days of the mailing of notice of such assessment by filing a petition to reopen assessment, together with an entry fee in an amount equal to the entry fee for a small claims case pursuant to section 52-259, at a Superior Court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator, which shall entitle such person to a hearing in accordance with the rules of the judges of the Superior Court.

(P.A. 88-221, S. 2; P.A. 94-200, S. 2; P.A. 00-191, S. 4, 16; P.A. 02-132, S. 63; P.A. 03-278, S. 13.)

[Free as a bird]

Thank you very much, Happy Trails. The ordinance would be local to our town, I assume?

[Happy Trails]

Thank you very much, Happy Trails. The ordinance would be local to our town, I assume?

Yes, hopefully an ordinance addressing blight issues has been enacted.

If for some reason it has never been addressed in your town, then it is time to get one started.