Thursday, February 22, 2018

How do you help a hoarder?


From CBS:

Residents in Brooklyn are desperate to get their neighbor’s home cleaned up.

They say the historic landmark is now an eyesore with trash and junk piled high in the front yard.

It’s a beautiful tree lined block with million-dollar brownstones, but all kinds of things are piled up and pouring out of the front lawn of 253 Sterling Street.

People on Sterling Street said the woman who lives there hoards in her front yard, her backyard, and even in and on top of her car.

Neighbors say the homeowner has lived here for several decades, but the problem has gotten worse in the last few weeks.

Neighbors said they’ve called 311 and nothing has happened.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

My Mother in law was a horder, even worse than that. We'd try, and try, and try, but she would not let us clean up, or take care of her
Eventually my wife and Brother in Law had to sue for guardianship, but the two grifters who were taking $$ came to her defense. From what I understand, the guardianship hearings set a record for length in Queens County. Neither child was awarded guardianship due to M-I-L's objections, and she became a ward of the state, who moved her out, and cleaned up

About all you can do is keep reporting to Sanitation et al, and get tickets issued, then use that as a lever

Anonymous said...

>> help

>> hoarder

You must choose

Anonymous said...

Perhaps someone is trying to clear out the house (since this just happened recently).

Tough on families who are dealing with a hoarding situation. The hoarder gets quite possessive of all that garbage. It is definitely a mental health issue, and definitely scary for those neighbors who have to worry about their own homes.

There is help for seniors who cannot take care of themselves.

Anonymous said...

"Sally Cooper" is listed on BIS as the owner. Google search shows a number of different interesting options for ladies named Sally Cooper.

Anonymous said...

All the politically correct bullshit has totally broken how we detect and deal with our mentally ill in this country. School teacher is no surprise here. I know another NYC school teacher just like her with 5 dogs and a Basement packed with home shopping channel junk clothing and dog shit, completely rusted & rotted 280Z cars in the driveway for 20 years. She still teaching in Forest Hills not retired living in
the town of Great Neck. Neighbors, Nobody says anything because shes Jewish in fear of being called "offensive" "hurtful" including Code enforcement and The town attorney.
The mental patients rights need to be returned to where they were before all this politically correct & civil liberty bullshit

Just give the woman 2 choices
Remove it or be arrested and placed in a mental institution because hording is not a constitutional right nor civil liberty.
Nor is running a junkyard in residential zoning, this nut has a lot of PVC and E-Wast in that pile that also becomes toxic when it breaks down.

TommyR said...

My own pop certainly hoards, to a certain degree - I would base that behavior on in his destitute upbringing. Four garages full of junk, despite his family's harping. People hoard for different reasons: some substitute piling up material possessions as a kind of bulwark against the vagaries of an increasingly insecure and lonely life. There was a guy on 57th who had a container outside his garage for the longest while - I think his family must've finally gotten the stuff removed, one way or another. The core issue is a lack of meaningful and healthy engagement with their environment. So maybe therapeutic intervention is required - they have to come to a mental understanding of their self-destructive dependence on STUFF, they can physically let go of it.

My own neighbor hoards to an extent, too...I think maybe as I get older I probably will as well. It's about keeping it in check.

Anonymous said...

Dear "politically correct bullshit"....
No doubt there is a problem. But it's angry knuckleheads like YOU that have steered me away from this site. It seems all that's left here is violent angry griping. You're "solutions" are both hateful and simplistic, as I suspect YOU ARE yourself.

Anonymous said...

Have you watched the TV show that's been showcasing these lunatics for the past 9 years? Unless a full team goes in, and unless the lunatic is receptive, you are S-O-L. The city will do nothing until a fire happens or someone is killed.

Anonymous said...

When are you going to write ot post something that is of value and important.
This is so boring.

Anonymous said...

"This is so boring."
1. Then why are you here ?
2. Go start your own blog and see if you can be 1% as good as Queens Crap !
3. Take a hike !

Izayoi said...

There is generally two types of hoarders. The dry type is easier to deal with and a handful of their junk is still clean enough to be donated to a charity. They usually have clothes, construction material, etc etc. The second type is the moist hoarder which is the worst. Rotten food, animals, feces, vomit and urine. Haven't seen much moist hoarders in the city but they are a huge problem in the northeast. Especially Conn state.

georgetheatheist said...

"Haven't seen much moist hoarders in the city but they are a huge problem in the northeast. Especially Conn state."

"Moist hoarders"??? I love Queens Crap. Donchu? It's so-o-o educational.

Anonymous said...

Leave the site,don’t announce it. No one gives a shit.

Anonymous said...

""violent angry griping. You're "solutions" are both hateful and simplistic, as I suspect YOU ARE yourself""

Only at "open minded" shitheads like yourself who are not capable of seeing things for what they actually are. People like you are a huge part of the problem.
I bet your some liberal social worker dont even own a home or pay taxes. The same type who would tell me the nut that pushed some innocent under a train is a nice guy when he takes his medication.
Like others Im angry yes because I'm sick and tired of your type spewing crap'ola!

Round all these nutters up offer their family's custody, if the family's do not accept the deal toss them on Ellis Island and impound the home till somebody pays the cleanup bill. Simple solution, Enough's enough.

Anonymous said...

Round all these nutters up offer their family's custody- What family member in their right mind wants to be around this garbage? It's dangerous. Slip hazards, fire hazards, mice, roaches, bed bugs.

Okay it is very very frustrating to attempt to work with a hoarder to deal with their mess. I had one woman argue with me that her garbage was not garbage. This was a competent professional which made the situation even more bizarre. No mater what I did, clean off her couch, her living room, pack up her endless magazines and newspapers, it all went back down on the floor. Scary. Anger Producing.

Has anyone reported this to Adult Protective Services and her teacher's union? The Union would have an EAP - Employee Assistance Program that might have resources for her. I wondered if anyone made complaints to HPD, DOB, DEP, Dept of Health & Dept of Sanitation as public safety hazards, garbage being left out before pick up day? These complaints can be made anonymously on line. You can email the commissioners of all these agencies and that gets quicker responses. Maybe the Community Board should get involved.

Hoarding is a mental illness.
https://www.theravive.com/therapedia/hoarding-disorder-dsm--5-300.3-(f42)

Anonymous said...

I've seen this place. It's unbelievable. I think there's even an old spinet piano beneath all of that rubbish out front! It's probably full of rats inside of it amongst other creepy crawlers! Eek!!!