I can think of many different things that will keep me up at night or give me nightmares. A recently watched horror movie is always a good one. Doing my taxes at the end of the year is
another. But having to make a ten-foot putt that allows me bragging rights after a game of golf might just be at the top of the list. I always seem to pull the ball to the left.
When I think of the potential nightmares that may exist when living in a community association, I am going to go with the next-door neighbor who happens to be a hoarder. That experience can provide its own level of fright that goes well beyond a movie, my taxes and even that long putt.
Hoarding by many accounts is a psychological disorder that requires treatment by a professional. A review of the Mayo Clinic website provides an overview of “Hoarding” as follows:
“Hoarding disorder is an ongoing difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe that you need to save them. You may experience distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. You gradually keep or gather a huge number of items, regardless of their actual value.”
For the purpose of this article, we are going to steer clear of an extended medical diagnosis and treatments. Instead, I would like to focus on the consequences that come with living next to or near a hoarder in a community association.
The discovery that a neighbor has become a hoarder usually comes at the point when the situation has already hit a crescendo. It is often not a disorder that can be spotted early on in the process, nor is someone who has become a hoarder likely to announce their disorder as they often times don’t recognize it themselves. The signs that you are living next to a hoarder can be previously undetected odors that permeate from your shared wall or perhaps a newly discovered infestation of bugs inside your unit with
no reasonable explanation as to their origin. At this point, the unit owners with adjacent walls to the hoarder are put in a position to be both on defense as well as offense in an effort to find a solution.
If bugs and other insects are the issue, getting a pest control company involved is going to be a priority. Insects can carry diseases and other health issues and creating a barrier to entry to your unit is going to be a timely issue toward your defensive measures. Pest control firms are experienced in this arena and can provide additional tools for you to use to combat insects. If odors are the issue, this is going to be more challenging to solve as you will need to address the problem from the other side of the wall. This is where the unit owner and hopefully a supportive board are going to need to go on offense. This is also when having an experienced, licensed, and professional manager is going to be an invaluable asset. From the management perspective, the more immediate remedies may involve fines for violation of the declaration and/or the rules and regulations. As hoarding is often viewed as a psychological disorder, fines and penalties may not be enough to get the unit owner to take the appropriate action to clean and sanitize the unit.
www.cai-illinois.org • 847.301.7505 | 13
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