Good Neighbor Practices

Posted May 12, 2016

GOOD NEIGHBOR GUIDELINES

Taking the time to establish good terms with your neighbors has numerous benefits. The community will be friendlier, the neighborhood safer, and the area a nicer and more comfortable place to live. Being on bad terms with your neighbor can make your life frustrating, day after day.

Welcome New Neighbors:

Introduce yourself as soon as you can. Exchange phone numbers and emails

Offer to have the new neighbors’ children over while the moving van is being unloaded.
Have a party to get to know the new neighbors.
Deliver meals and treats.
Go to the WHNA website and click on” Welcome a New Neighbor” on right side of the home page. Fill out the information to have a Welcome Packet delivered that has information about the neighborhood.

When people make an effort to get to know each other everyone will have a sense of well-being, knowing you are surrounded by friends. The neighborhood will be more appealing, and you’ll be more content in your home. An extra benefit is the security of knowing that you and your neighbors have each other’s backs.How To Be a Good Neighbor:

Observe and respect your neighbor’s personal space.
Enjoy your home at a noise level that does not disturb others. Keep windows and doors closed to minimize noise from leaving the premises.
If you borrow something, return the item immediately after using it. If you break the item, pay to fix it or replace it.
Don’t be the neighborhood gossip. That’s rude and will eventually become disruptive.
Not everyone is a dog or cat lover, so show responsibility for your pets. That includes keeping them off the neighbor’s lawn and picking up after them.
Remember your neighbors during the holidays with a card or a homemade gift.

If you have an issue with a neighbor, go directly to that person and discuss it in an adult manner. Don’t call the police unless you are threatened. Make an extra effort to make things right by shaking hands and at least being on friendly terms. You don’t have to hang out. A simple wave is sufficient.
Curb Appeal

A good neighbor is one who maintains the exterior of the house and lawn at the same level as the rest of the neighborhood. You don’t want your house to be the one on the street that drags down the value of homes

Mow the lawn. Don’t let it get knee-high; if you can’t mow it yourself, hire a neighbor’s child.
Make sure that trees, shrubs, weeds, etc. don’t creep into your neighbor’s yard.
Maintain the exterior of your home and paint when necessary.
Remove all bikes, skateboards, and toys from the front yard at the end of the day.
Maintain a clean, neat appearance of alleys and garages, free of weeds, glass and garbage. Obey the alley speed limit of 15 mph and be observant of children.

Social EventsYou might like to party, and that’s just fine as long as you don’t intrude or impose on your neighbors. An occasional late-night blast might be forgiven, but frequent parties into the night are disrespectful to your neighbors.

Party Guidelines:

Ask your guests to park in the driveway or in front of your house. Make sure they don’t block neighbor’s driveway or use assigned spots in an apartment complex.
Obey noise ordinance laws. If a neighbor calls or comes over and asks you to pipe down, be friendly and apologize. Then quiet down.
If you are having a big party, invite the neighbors. This shows that you are a friendly person, it allows you to get to know your neighbors better, and you are much less likely to have complaints.
Give your neighbors your telephone number and ask them to call you instead of the police if the noise is a problem.
Loud Parties:
If noise gets too loud from a neighbor’s property, call the occupant and ask nicely to have them keep the noise down. This often is effective.
If it is a rental unit, consider calling the landlord. See below for internet search to locate a recorded owner’s name and address on DNS wensite. Any “Noise Notice of Violation” issued by DNS can also be tracked at this web site.
If all else fails, call the Milwaukee Police Department at 933-4444.
If a citation is issued to an occupant ($206), MPD will forward a copy to DNS who will issue a notice of violation to the property owner.

Responsibilities of Rental Property Owners:

Educate tenants about both the law and their lease. All leases prohibit such noise violations by state law.
If you receive a noise violation notice, discuss it with your tenants. Consider a notice to end the lease, or warn them that another incident will result in eviction.
If you receive a second notice, consider an eviction action as an alternative to your being assessed a tax lien for police and administration costs.
Use the opportunity to prevent noisy tenants from driving away your good tenants. Improve your profitability!
Let the neighbors know what action you are taking. Give them your telephone number so they can inform you of what is happening to your property.

For additional information on quality of life and other issues, search in your browser for: city.milwaukee.gov/NoiseComplaints and: city.milwaukee.gov/dns/brochures