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MoreQuiet 10d · day 10

Dear Abby: Neighbors abandon house, cars, and yard work for years

Advice columnist fields complaints from multiple readers about properties left to deteriorate while owners or their heirs ignore requests to clean up.

newest coverage 9d agosummary written 9d ago7 pieces NewswiresMastodon

What to know

  • Multiple Dear Abby readers report similar situations: abandoned or neglected neighbor properties with unmoved vehicles, unpaid bills, and deteriorating yards across different U.S. regions.
  • Informal requests to owners or their adult children have failed to prompt action, leaving neighbors without resolution.
  • The column addresses the practical question of what recourse neighbors have when city intervention becomes necessary.

“We have asked the adult children to sell or move the abandoned cars, but nothing has been done.”

Anonymous reader, Neighbor of abandoned property · The Oregonian, AL.com, MassLive, PennLive, NJ.com, Cleveland.com ↗ · Oct 31

Abigail Van Buren Advice columnistThe neighbors Property owners or heirs

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articles

Peak 7 pieces in 3h at Nov 1, 5 AM; 7 pieces over 10 days (6 articles · 1 post) Nov 1, 5 AM — 7 pieces · 6 articles · 1 post — Newswires 6, Mastodon 1Nov 1, 8 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietNov 7, 2 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 8 AM — quietNov 7, 11 AM — quietNov 7, 2 PM — quietNov 7, 5 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 7, 11 PM — quietNov 8, 2 AM — quietNov 8, 5 AM — quietNov 8, 8 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 2 PM — quietNov 8, 5 PM — quietNov 8, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 11 PM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 5 AM — quietNov 9, 8 AM — quietNov 9, 11 AM — quietNov 9, 2 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 8 PM — quietNov 9, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 2 AM — quiet 1
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  1. 1

    Dear Abby publishes readers' complaints about abandoned neighborhood properties

    Multiple regional newspapers publish versions of a Dear Abby column in which readers describe problems with a neighbor's abandoned or neglected house featuring abandoned cars, unpaid bills, and deteriorating yard conditions. Readers report having asked the owners' adult children to address the situation without success.

    1. 2 outlets Dear Abby: Neighbors moved out, left 5 cars, yard work, unpaid bills. Who do we complain to?

      first by NJ.com, 9d ago · also PennLive

      1 more headline
    2. 2 outlets Dear Abby: After 2 years of watching neighbor's empty house become an eyesore, is it time to alert the city?

      first by MassLive, 9d ago · also The Oregonian

      1 more headline