‘Residential Hoarding’ Talk is April 25

You’re walking in the neighborhood and you notice a home with excessive storage of items outdoors, blocking entrances and exits.  A tree is leaning on the roof and the gutters are knocked down.  You smell foul odors and notice accumulated pet waste.  There’s evidence of vermin feeding on unsecured trash.  What can or should you do?

Code enforcement officers in local government are being called in to address new “unsafe living conditions” cases on the average of once a week.  It’s a job that takes skill and sensitivity. 

Senior county inspector Paula Johnson will present “Understanding Residential Hoarding” as it pertains to potentially unsafe living conditions and code enforcement on Wed., April 25 at the Neighborhood Leaders Group meeting, in Room 202 of the Development Services Building at the County Complex in Woodbridge.  The meeting begins with at 6:30 p.m. with a half-hour of networking and the presentation begins at 7:00 p.m.  Any neighborhood leaders in the Manassas or Prince William region are welcome to attend.

According to county neighborhood coordinator Evan Jones, inspector Johnson and her team have a successful track record of creating progress in cases where hoarding has resulted in unsafe living conditions for occupants and their neighbors.  

While there is no indication that severe residential hoarding is on the rise, the presentation will offer a serious look into the phenomenon and better insight into the complex procedural and legal processes involved in addressing the whole gamut of property code related issues.

The meeting is free and open to the public, but please call 703-792-7018 or email nsd@pwcgov.org to ensure sufficient seating in the room for all participants.

Also, the county in the process of planning a Neighbor-to-Neighbor Capacity Building Conference for a Saturday in September 2012.  Any ideas or suggestions for this new education event are welcome.