Eileen Forward

I need some input. I hope some of you can shine some light my way.
I have two young friends. I am 54yrs they are in early mid 20's. They have 2 kids, both girls 6 & 3mos. Like everyone else he lost his job and is drawing unemployment. They have been jerked left and right where their insurance is concerned. However, that seems corrected for now.
They live in an area known as The East Side. Their street has a picture perfect shot for making a POVERTY ON THE STREETS WHERE WE LIVE. AMERICA. THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES AND WEALTH picture for a gallery.
My friends live next door to a Norteno gang member. These low life scum bags have recently been aquiring gasoline from unknown sources in 55gal barrels and storing these along side of their house. They have people pull up, fill up, pay up and leave. The reckless i***ts smoke pot and cigarettes while siphoning gas from barrel and filling up the empty tanks. They have no regard for their neighbors well being obviously but they also "bump" their tunes at loud levels @ 1:00, 2:00am. My friends baby wakes up. This of course infuriates them. Next door on the other side is a mid 50's hispanic man who has 5 min-pin & chihuahua dogs. These dogs are given 1 handfull of dry food placed in the crack of cement for all of them to fight each other over. There is one partial small dog igloo house on porch with no blankets. During our 27 degree freeze these dogs were left outside. They literally ate a hole through the front door to escape the freezing cold. Now heres my question.
My friends cant move they will probably be evicted due to unemployment wont last. They cant stand the fact regarding animal abuse next door but wont turn him in because their animals (2 dogs) arent licensed. They have asked the gang banger next door to lower his rap music but of course it fails due to their inability to hear anything. I've stated call the sheriffs office. My friends are scared of Gang Retaliation.
I want to call and turn these derelicts in but I don't want any harm to fall upon my friends or their two young daughters. So. What would you do? All replies considered.

Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

Quite the problem Well I do not know where you live, but in most states you can call into the humane society with an anonymous complaint regarding animal cruelty. But, that take weeks to process. What I would do for the dogs is talk to the neighbor and see if he will listen to reason. Offer an old pan or two for the dog food and a bag of food. This sometimes help the situation because it is 1. pleasantly done, and 2. lets the owner know that people are aware of him abusing the dogs. In some states they have animal rescue leagues, they will normally go to the house the same day you call to report abuse. They take photos and then they ask the court to intervene. I do animal rescue, we can normally get an animal out of bad situations within 2 days.

Now for the second part. I worry that if you contact the police that the gang will find out and you could be harmed. This is more difficult. Do you live in a community covered by a HOA? If so, take pictures and recordings of the noise. Write a nice letter to the HOA explaining the problem and give them copies of your evidence. Let them know that you have kept a copy and do expect them to do something for the "safety" of the community. Explain that you "fear" the gasoline will explode and cause a large fire that could destroy other people's property to include yours.

The last part. Have your friend contact a lender and apply for a HARP loan. Most people that qualify for the loan, and yes the income from unemployment counts, so does state assistance programs. For more information go to http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/programs/lower-rates/Pages/harp.aspx
Many times the government will reduce payments for an individual who had been current on their loans but can not afford the current payment amounts. This is beneficial to those who owe more on the loan that the worth of the house. It is also designed to help people who have had a sudden change in circumstances such as loss of a job, illness in the family, and things of this nature.
If HARP is not an option, then and I h**e to say this, but Lending Tree will work with people to help them stay in their homes. If I am understanding you, your friends do not have family that is able to help. If they do, then they need to swallow their p***e and ask for assistance.
Next, they need financial counseling. Someone to help them establish a budget where they can pay off their creditors, live a average life, and put money away in savings. Even people who make almost nothing can find places to cut back or eliminate. Also, have your friends talk to their utility companies. They usually have programs for people who are in need of a hands up.

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

Ginny gave you some good things to look into. Too bad your friends live in such a bad place. It is not easy.to just leave especially with no resources.Perhaps you could do some homework for them.

Duckie

You know what I would do. Call the police when the music is turned up after quite hours. Most cities say 11:00 PM on week nights and 12:01AM on weekends and holidays. Get all the neighbors that live close to call. With enough calls the police will start watching the house. Have your neighbors get a restraining order, that way if they have to shoot them if they try to harm them, then they are protected. The house, have your friends talk to the bank. If they have done their best to keep their payments current, then the bank will work with them. Good luck.

Blue Flu Loc: HHI

They need to move before getting evicted. The best move would be to a home of a relative. They can't let p***e stand in their way with 2 children.
About the neighbors.....they're right. Silence is he best policy. That gasoline is stolen and if you mess with gangbangers they'd feel honor bound to retaliate.
A radical move would be to run an ad in the local newspaper explaining the dire situation (without mentioning the neighbors) asking for shelter long enough to get on their feet. Someone has property somewhere that needs a watchman living on the premises. Think about a storage facility for instance.
The ad might read like this:
Young family with 2 small children desires living quarters in return for custodian/maintenance responsibilities. Our need for such an arrangement is becoming urgent. Thank you.

Wolf counselor Loc: Heart of Texas

STEP ONE : Trust that there is a God and He will hear you when you cry out for mercy. But it must be done from a sincere heart.
STEP TWO : Go into the smallest space in your home, such as a closet, and go there and close yourself inside and away from the wickedness around you.
STEP THREE : Pray to God almighty for mercy. He will know the details so you don't have to rattle on into specifics. Just pray a simple prayer for mercy and you will find that not only will He solve the issues at hand, He will lead you on to higher grounds for the sake of your safety.

Do this from the part of your heart that remains true to yourself. I promise, the answers to all your cares are as simple as one, two, three.

no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun

Ginny had some good suggestions, and I would help them look into these if at all possible. If I were a vengeful person, I would say, find out where the gang bangers live slowly siphon off enough of the gas into t***sportable containers, take it to the gang headquarters and pour it around the base, wait five minutes and throw a lighted match onto it and leave in one hell of a hurry. Aren't you glad I am not a vengeful person?

Wolf counselor Loc: Heart of Texas

Yes I'm glad you don't act upon your ideas. But that gas siphoning idea sounds like something I might would consider if I were in the same predicament.

Kevyn

If you don't get results from the cops in dealing with the gang call the fire Marshall they can come out and condem the place and run the scumbags off the property.

Duckie

Your solution is to run? And then when the next place is overun, run again? How many times? Until your back is against the ocean and there is no other place to run? No. Good people have a right to live with peace and quite. I say, try everything to do this in a rational way. Talking, police, priest or ministers....and if that does not work. Evacuate the wife or husband and kids, depending who is not up to taking action. Hire the meanest skin heads possible, then let the war begin.

For the dogs. Again, try to talk the owner into doing the right thing. Call Animal control, or whomever to settle it in a rational way. If that fails, steal the dogs and take them to the humane society. The owner does not care for them, so it is doubtful that he will go looking for them. The dogs will either get new homes with loving caretakers or they will be put to sleep. Either way they will be out of the situation.

As for the house. I have no clue. I am told that everyone should have a reserve of a year's living expenses put away for troubled times. But, that would be 20/20 hindsight. It seems that the young couple and the kids may end up loosing their home unless neighbors step forward and can help until they are back on their feet. But, that is not likely to happen. They could do a short sale which can salvage their credit. Banks will not loan on a new property if there is a foreclosure for 7 years. But, a short sale is off your records in 3 years.

Armageddun Loc: The show me state

I would check with the Salvation Army....

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

They're going to have to move whether they want to, or can afford to, or not. And they need to! Is that the sort of place to raise little girls? When I couldn't find work I signed on with a seafood company that fishes out of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It was hella hard work, but now I have a full time desk job with that company and have decent benefits. The good thing is that these companies provide room and board for their workers, meaning pay can be sent home to the family. Its tough, but no tougher than what military families have to deal with. I have an aunt and uncle who have had one out of luck person or another living with them ever since I can remember. I've done it myself twice, both times with satisfactory results. Not ideal, but satisfactory. If I were you, and I could make the room I'd let them stay with me, but the fella would have to go to work wherever he could find it.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

A wise person knows how to pick their battles. That man's first responsibility is to his wife and little girls and they need to get out of there before they get evicted.

Coos Bay Tom Loc: coos bay oregon

Way to go Mike I hope she listens

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

I hope so too. No matter what they do, it's not safe for them or their little girls to be where they are. I've had plenty of experience with the Nortenos.