We have an elderly family friend who lives in a long terraced street, mostly owned but lowish income couples or small families. Each house has a tiny concrete yard and no front space. The other side of the street is occupied by a massive warehouse, which overlooks the houses, so about 20 or so feet from the front doors. It is separated by railings.
It is a one way street, and at the end is a car repair shop, which sadly attracts a lot of farting exhausts and frequent speeding in and out of the premises.
The line of houses our friend lives in has a lovely strip of tall evergreens that covers up the mess of the warehouse yard. It's been there forever, and possibly blocks a bit of the sound as the warehouse is insanely loud (pallets dropping, grinding machinery and reversing heavy goods trucks right up against people's homes).
We visit her to help with shopping every weekend, and the place is getting worse and worse. The houses back to back keep dogs trapped in the yards for up to 10 hours a day, so constant barking and some filled with poop that is constantly in the air, especially in summer. Several of these dogs are neglected, we have tried reporting yrs ago but nothing ever changed. When you chat to the neighbours they act as if they don't see, smell or hear it. No one complains about the warehouse noise or the piling up of trash at the sides of the road.
Now, a few of them are trying to get the evergreens chopped down, to 'create more light', which is a bit strange as this area bakes in strong sunlight every day. Our friend is upset by this but won't say anything, she really loves the trees and they make the street look pretty in an otherwise gloomy area.
Once the trees are gone, the warehouse would be fully visible, with all the staff noise and machinery and trucks. We just can't figure out why people would rather breathe this in that some pretty trees. And no, there are no safety or other issues with the trees being there. It's like a stubborn desire to sit in shit, to take anything nice away.
Everyone seems happy to ignore the smell of dog shit, exhaust fumes and trash, but the trees are obviously a problem! If asked most of the neighbours claim the revving cars and speeding don't bother them.
Why do people do this? It isn't apathy or poverty, even though the immediate area is a bit depressed. I honestly believe that a lack of care for things is what turns many places into miserable dives, and this is like watching one in progress.
Unfortunately a guy with a large german shepherd goes through 2 every few years. They are kept in the yard 24-7 (he does shifts) and never walked. The dog currently there walks it''s own shit around the yard howling and circling all day long, it sounds so unhappy and smells like death. I mentioned this to the house next door to our friend and they just shrugged.
True it's none of my business, it ain't my street, but it's really fucking tragic.