Ask Eric: My neighbor is a hoarder and it’s causing problems

Dear Eric: I have a huge dilemma literally right across the street from my house.

My neighbor is a very nice person. Sometimes I ask him what he’s going to do with all the stuff in his yard. He just says he’ll keep it. He is a collector.

What I see are boxes piled up along his driveway, into the backyard, along the very narrow path where cars enter, and also along the driveway. His house is barely visible due to the overgrowth of trees and shrubs.

My biggest worry is fire.

If I call the authorities about that person, they’ll find out it’s me. Please advise.

– Concerned Neighbors

Dear Neighbor: In fact, fire is a concern in homes managed by people who tend to hoard. Blocked doorways not only endanger home occupants, but also firefighters and emergency responders. This is why, as you know, many emergency response departments have people trained in stockpile intervention.

What is the bigger risk here? If you call someone and suspect you are the one asking for a wellness visit at their home, or if the unthinkable happens, they or someone else gets injured or dies. I called and told them to leave it to the authorities.

Any passing car can notice the condition of your home and call you, as well as your neighbors next door, whose homes may be at much more immediate risk in the event of a fire.

But after you make the call, it’s better to take a step back because it doesn’t look good. We cannot dictate what our neighbors put on their property. Aside from offering help, it would be overkill to have more conversations with him about his belongings.