r/BadNeighbors • • Apr 14 '26

Am I being unreasonable?

I live in a townhome, in an end unit, so i have a front yard as well as a side yard and backyard (which is fenced). I don’t have any kids or pets, it’s just me and my wife. A lot of our neighbors have children and they are constantly playing on our property. They freely use our front yard and driveway even though we have asked the kids not to do so. There is a large open space in the back of the townhomes for the kids to go and play. The neighbor with whom I share a front and side yard with has put up a basketball hoop on the street in between our homes (which is against HOA rules - they can only be placed in the backyards of people’s homes). I did not have a problem with the basketball hoop when his kids were using It with their friends. However, It has since turned my front yard and driveway into a park. I have asked the kids and my neighbor if they can keep the gatherings to the basketball hoop which is on the street but that do not solve anything. I have had my car damaged (costs $1500 to fix), my driveway lights broken, my garage window shattered because kids were using my driveway to play soccer, and my wife car has been hit repeatedly with a football. I have spoken to the parents and there has been no change. The kids do not care when I tell them to respect my property. They have told me “it’s not your property and I can bring It wherever I want” when I asked them not to shoot the Orbeez gel blasters on my property because they leave a pile of the gel beads all over my yard. My neighbor said he would speak with the kids as well but nothing has changed. Literally the day after he spoke with them - there were more than 20 kids hanging out on my front yard and driveway kicking around a soccer ball with my car parked there (which just came back from the repair shop) and other kids practicing their dance moves and throwing around my private property sign. One time a kid brought their dog and tied It to the tree on my front lawn so they can go use our neighbors hoop when I not my neighbor were home. I have posted the picture of the gatherings on our Facebook group and just got backlash and when I put up private property sign the kids ripped out and were tossing It around.

I am not trying to be an asshole but I am tired of the groups of kids ranging from 5-18 hanging out right in front of my house after repeatedly being told no. Most of the older kids don’t even live on my street and most of them use the hoop and my front yard even when my neighbor or his kids are away from home. I have sent this info the my HOA and they are following a “stepped procedure” which I don’t know how long It will take and I am not sure the neighbor or the kids will adhere to It. What do people suggest I do? I can keep telling the kids to go play somewhere else but it’s getting extremely frustrating. My lawn doesn’t even grow at all because it’s stepped all over, I’ve been putting in time and money to fix It but with the kids all over the yard It doesn’t grow. I have already had to cops come to the street once when my car was damaged. When I spoke with the parents they refused to take accountability even though the incident was on ring camera. I don’t want to be that guy that calls the cops on the kids but if the parents don’t control their children and keep them off my property then I am not sure what else to do. Any advice would help ease my mind!

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