Are there any laws to help me, my neighbor is harassing me and my family?

Question

Hi, I am a Mom of two boys and my husband works out of state so he is hardly home and i have a neighbor that is singling me out and calling the city and HOA for everything I do. He does not do this to everyone, just me! I am the only one that does not have a husband home so i am easy prey for a bully like him. He is and elderly, retired (bored) man. Everyone of the neighbors have violations here and there that could be ground for complaint and he certainly has some of them himself. I am having a room added to my house, so for the time being I have to park my vehicle in the street, due to the driveway being used by workers and material drops.......this is all temporary. He has been calling the City of Meridian and the officer that has come by my house 4 times now, said I am not breaking any laws as long as the vehicle is moved every 72 hours. Now i come home from shopping and he or another busy body from the HOA has placed a copy of the HOA rules in my mailbox (Isn't that illegal?). I get the cops called if we load our four wheelers up .....he calls and says we are riding them in the street, I could write a book on the people that have come to my door with some kind of complaint from this guy. I don't know where to turn, I feel harassed so badly by this guy, he stares at me and my kids when we are out front. I have only lived here for a year and I can't afford to move. The weird thing is, there are neighbors with bigger "HOA Violations" that he could report, but he doesn't ..........he is focused on me and my family. We are the only ones he complains about. Who do I call?? He is on the committee for the HOA, so i don't know who i have to turn to? I can't sleep or relax because it is so out of control. I am bothered daily by either the Meridian Police or a HOA complaint of somesort. Are there any Idaho laws against this type of behavior?

Shouldn't my family be able to live in peace? I have a child with Autism and i home school him and have so much going on in my life already........I just do not need the added stress.

Answer 1

I would go to the next HOA association meeting and bring it up.  WHO CARES if it is in front of him?  The way he is behaving is unethical, and is harassing in nature.  And yes, it is illegal for him or anyone else to place items in your mail box.  

I would start keeping records of every single incident-no matter how small.  Jot down the date and time and what occured in a notebook.  Place copies of police reports (request them every time) in your notebook.  If this keeps occuring after bringing it up at the HOA meeting, file a harassment report against him.  

Consult a lawyer, if need be-many offer free consultations and could give you an idea of what, if any, laws he is breaking.

I am a mother myself, and I homeschool.  I know we stay busy, I can not imagine if my husband was also away and I had a child with special needs.  I am sorry you are going through this.  Perhaps your husband can confront him the next time he is home?

EDITED TO ADD: If nothing else, he is infringing upon your constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  

Answer 2

Send him a fruit basket just keep doing nice things for him like hey me and my boys want to sweep your sidewalk, and things like that, then he will feel like an @ss and start being nice to you, maybe you should park your car into his driveway because you can't park in the street lol I hate people like that!

Answer 3

My heart goes out to you. I  would go to city council, state rep, the mayor. If you have checked to see if you have a block association, I would check that as well. Have you tried to talk to this individual? This sounds like something I saw on TV. I want to say is this real. You paid your money to live where you want, give me a break. It sound like you are just the victim of his dirty tactics. I would exhaust everything I can in Town Hall. You are or sound like a strong woman. Don't let him beat you with that idea that your husband is away. Do what you need to do and protect your family. I wish you well.  

Answer 4

Yes it is illegal for him to put things in your mailbox.  Report him to the post office.  It is for the post office use only.  I got a warning from them once for putting Avon books in them.  Then the next time a cop shows up at your door for something he tells you is legal then tell him you want to press charges against this guy for harassment. If you have any friends that know or if you know a lawyer I would contact them.  What he is doing is harassing and bullying and is most likely illegal.  Also the next time there is a HOA meeting make sure to go and stand up to this guy.  Let your other neighbors know what is going on.  Let them know what you are already dealing with.  You shouldn't have to put up with any of this.  I would also approach him directly and let him know that if he doesn't stop that you are going to press charges against him for harassment.  This guy needs knocked down off his high horse.  People like him will usually back down if you stand up to him and let him know you aren't going to take it.  Better yet when your husband is in town tell him to go over and tell the guy to lay off his wife.