A COUPLE have claimed that their neighbor’s yard and property have caused infestation problems and damaged their privacy fence.
The pair from Linda, California publicly shamed their neighbor as they felt that inaction from the Yuba County Code Enforcement had left them with no other choice.
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Chris and Elizabeth Cruz have claimed that items like vehicles, refrigerators, bikes, and other debris in their neighbor's yard have led to the deterioration of their home, according to The Appeal Democrat.
The couple stated that the items placed along their shared privacy fence had caused damage to it, on Wednesday's Appeal.
In a statement, they said: “While we may not have control over what is stored in his yard, the concern is that he has chosen to store some of his junk directly against the common fence of ours and other neighbors, which has accelerated the deterioration of the fences.”
The couple claimed that the fence had become damaged and collapsed in several spots.
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They also added that they had not replaced the fence as they felt that this would not solve the issue.
The Cruz’s bought their home on Waterfall Drive in 2011 and claimed that their neighbor was a problem before they moved in.
Chris and Elizabeth alleged that the home was on the market for over a year due to the neighbor’s yard, despite their home being in good condition otherwise.
Neighbor Mike Dupuis told the Yuba County Code Enforcement Appeal that he has had multiple surgeries for his shoulders and back, so his physical condition makes yard work difficult.
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Dupuis said: “ I’m a worker, I try to do good for my city.
“I’ll have to work with my dump trailer, try to get stuff out, and make my home more livable for myself and my children.
“I try to be a good neighbor, but I physically can’t. If the city wants to do something to help, then help disabled people instead of taking their stuff.”
This dispute has supposedly been ongoing for several years as Dupuis admitted his home had been visited several times throughout the years.
The Cruz’s contacted Code Enforcement in August 2022 regarding a rodent infestation, which they claimed was directly related to their neighbor’s garden.
They backed this allegation by claiming to have seen a large rat nest in Dupis’ yard and rats running from his house to theirs.
A representative of BC Pest Control in Olivehurst, Buck Charley, also provided a statement to the Appeal which stated that he believed the infestation came from Dupuis’ yard.
Charley said: “I have continually serviced this home for prevention of rodents and it is becoming a detriment to their health.
“I have been a licensed professional in the pest control business for over 20 years. I have never seen such a nuisance deriving from one source.
“This rodent issue deriving from their neighbor is unreasonable and could spread to neighboring homes.”
Charley added that he estimated the Cruz’s have spent over $2,000 to attempt to fix the problem.
The Cruz’s have also claimed that the problem has taken a chunk of value off their home.
They claim their home is currently valued at $471,000 but could be appraised for $550,000.
The Cruz’s added that the condition of Dupuis’ home could lead a future buyer to ask for 10-15% off the asking price.
Elizabeth said: “We shared that the stress it is causing our family and the cost in repairs, replacements, and pest control is totally unacceptable.”
Code Enforcement officials have stated that issues are initially expected to be dealt with on a lower level between neighbors before the government intervenes to enforce the code.
Code Enforcement Manager Jeremy Strang said: “Code Enforcement is responsive to all complaints that are made, and we do investigate.
“However, not all violations rise to the top of the list.
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“We attempt to be reasonable in our approach and look to enforce the spirit of the law, not simply the letter of the law, as our roles are to strike the balance between property owner rights and enforcement.”
Strang stated in a Board of Supervisors meeting that the Code Enforcement had limited resources and had to prioritize their work.
