Live beside Focus-Ireland managed apartment block, kids wreaking havoc outside, what can I do?

Sugar_Rush

So it's a four block complex, three situated around one communal area.

Three of the four are managed by a private company, the fourth is managed by focus Ireland and apartments therein are allocated to those who cannot provide for themselves.

It's not unusual there's fires, drug use, there's even been murder.

Ambulances, fire brigade and police show up probably about once at quarter at least.

Anyways, I live in another block situated around that communal area.

Every so often kids from the Focus-Ireland managed apartment block come to "play" in the area, sometimes supervised by their care-giver, sometimes not (it makes no difference to their behavior).

Normally there's about two or three of them. They kick a heavy leather football, sometimes a basketball around. They're about between 7 and 11 years old at a guess.

Naturally they take aim at the apartment walls, windows and doors from time to time.

I told them off the first time, at which point it became clear to me they're from backgrounds with basically zero discipline. Feral youth, basically. Got cussed out pretty heavily whilst one kid waved his arms violently, grabbed his crotch, made threatening motions.

My size or assertiveness is of little relevance, they're kids, you can't really do anything.

Their care giver, an over weight woman, sometimes comes out to watch them (she's the mother to one of them but I don't think they live with her). They do nothing different. I actually believe she encourages them to misbehave which is of little surprise as I've heard her address other residents by telling them to "go fuck themselves" or she'll "break their fuckin' jaw for them", yelling aggressively etc. They've taken to knocking bits out of a large ventilation duct from the underground parking area, the fins that form the duct, by kicking their football or basketball into it.

This seems to me to be obvious property damage. So when they knock out a piece of metal this heavy clanging sound rings out as it hits the concrete. I've grown accustomed to this sound.

The area is otherwise quiet, not a "rough" area (though in apartment complexes you're always going to get some idiots but it's mostly fine decent folk).

........

Anyways what can I do?

I wrote to our management company twice without response (though they did repair the ventilation duct damage). I spoke with the complex security manager who said that cause that block is managed by Focus-Ireland, being a separate management firm, our private management can't address the issue.

He also said those kids are a local nuisance and are caught shop lifting from time to time etc. Any experience or pointers?

Could law enforcement do anything?

endofrainbow

you were doing so well until you felt it necessary to mention their care-giver was an overweight woman....relevance???

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058260199/live-beside-focus-ireland-managed-apartment-block-kids-wreaking-havoc-outside-what-can-i-do

this is why i sometimes involuntary sterilisation is a great idea

Jim_Hodge

There must be some stereo types you left out of that OP. I just can't think of one.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119516849#Comment_119516849

He left out that these feral kids over-weight "care giver" is a single mother, who doesn't work, and all the fathers are absent.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119516849#Comment_119516849

Surely there must be a non-Irish national and a traveller in that block?

bucketybuck

Its vital that you use the correct terminology if you dare to complain about scum making your home life a misery.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119516835#Comment_119516835

Well, overweight, loud, ignorant, a bad bleach blond hair do, horrible attitude, thick "townie" offensive accent, smokes and flicks cigarette butts on the ground.

Seems generally confrontational as I suspect it's the primary form of excitement and/or human contact/interaction she can get.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517153#Comment_119517153

Maybe she doesn't like your attitude and is deliberately antagonising you?

If this is Dublin, I would say I know the apartments.

Complain, Complain, complain. If owned by DCC, write to Owen Keegan, again and again, write to your local councillors, write to the Ceo of Focus, become a pain in the arse,

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517153#Comment_119517153

Probably pee'd off having a judgemental, bigoted neighbour talking down to her.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517161#Comment_119517161

She's never met me.

But honestly I get the feeling she's trying to antagonize the entire apartment complex.

As she yells aggressively whilst stood in the middle of the communal area (courtyard).

"Fuck you, go fuck yourself, I'll break your jaw" etc etc.

Her kids have acquired a similar verbal repertoire.

It feels like she's "daring" someone to come out and tell her to keep it down, or keep her kids under control.

Like she actually wants a confrontation, so she can blow of steam or something?

I think she knows cause she's housed by Focus-Ireland, potentially under the care of a psychiatrist/on-medication? She's impervious is some ways.

While it doesn't happen often, anti social tenants can be moved or evicted but it needs lots of evidence and history of complaints. So not only you but the management company and neighbours need to start building up a case to make it happen

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517209#Comment_119517209

That's almost always in relation to actual events though, as opposed to fictional rants.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517226#Comment_119517226

If it's the apartments I think it is, there are serious ongoing anti social issues.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517441#Comment_119517441

The OP says

Ambulances, fire brigade and police show up probably about once at quarter at least

Once every three months doesn't sound that bad.

Unless s/he means once a quarter-hour 😉

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517441#Comment_119517441

I don't think anyone would deny this happens, but I don't buy a bit of this. I would have huge sympathy for anyone genuinely experiencing this.

I worked in the housing dept of DCC for more than 10 years, there are appalling incidents of anti social behaviour, some of the worst in units managed by housing bodies.

I feel sorry for the other tenants who have to put up with that crap

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517599#Comment_119517599

Yeah some spots in Dublin I could only imagine the horridness that goes on, that other tenants can literally do absolutely nothing about.

I mean I guess they could "take matters into their own hands" but, then you know that's when law enforcement would meaningfully come into effect.

Terrible situation to be in, especially with so little alternate accommodation available.

Where I'm living isn't in their block (the focus-ireland block), but it's directly opposite it.

So most of their BS stays inside their building, but at times like mentioned in the OP it effects others (me) also.

.......

The lack of meaningful suggestions as to how to address it alludes to it potentially being one of those, "nothing you can really do" type of situations.

I guess I'll speak with my local Garda district office, follow up with a chat to the regional focus-ireland branch.

Mention I've corresponded twice with management, show them pictures of the property damage.

All else fails I guess I could go on Joe Duffy?

L1011

Despite the tone of the OP, this isn't AH and the AH grade replies are to stop immediately.

Liberty_Bear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517801#Comment_119517801

I dont particularly like the tone of your post for a start and to me it appears that what you are complaining about is kids being kids in this modern day and age. A view point I would take is - they are, as you mentioned, coming from an area where there are issues related to what amounts to poverty which leads to anti social behaviour or whatever you want to call it. A few kids want an escape for a few hours from their homestead and decide to kick a ball. Both the terminology you are using in calling them feral and mentioning irrelevant information about their carer being over weight belies the attitude that you really have. Could I respectfully suggest you perhaps speak to the carer and enquire as to the situation , maybe tell the kids "lads will you stop kicking the football against the windows or doors, walls are fine" and then go about trying to encourage how green areas might be a bit better for the kids. Finishing off with going on Joe Duffy really sums up your post and your abhorrent attitude.

rightmove

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119516835#Comment_119516835

Slow maybe out of breath - not able to mind the kids..aint got the energy! Maybe its for narrative building reasons?

AlanG

Best to go down and talk to the kids, and keep talking to them in a friendly manner. They will either start respecting you or get pissed off and move along.

StevenToast

Leave this place and move to Leitrim...never go back.

Madeoface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517801#Comment_119517801

I'd push it with your management company to complain to focus ireland formally: direct to ceo's office. Focus have a section on safety and partnership in their annual report and I'd quote that back to them.

SJW's on here don't believe in personal responsibility and the Focus literature is pretty scant in that regard too blaming society in general, but everyone has a personal responsibility to help themselves and to oversee their kids if they have same. This 'lady' doesn't appear to which is why the likes of Focus have to exist.

Spare a thought for the undoubtedly majority of decent people stuck in the Focus block too though.

Cuddlesworth

Move, in the time it takes to get better you could have been much happier somewhere else. The problem tenants are unlikely to change and eviction takes years in Ireland.

timmyntc

The quickest solution is for you to move.

Housing bodies dont really care about you, or anti-social behaviour, they just care about meeting their targets for x amount of people housed and getting people off the list.

We had dealings with one such body before in relation to a tenant from hell, stealing from neighbours, drugs, fights, noise, parties etc. Hundreds of complaints from neighbours. Heads of the OMC were adamant that we should all call the gardai, note the time etc, then make a report to housing body with reference to the gardai being called (time & date) for their records.

Ultimately though it took one of them stealing a neighbours car, and subsequently crashing and dying in a car chase with the gardai for the rest of them in that apartment to be moved by the housing body. Pretty grim, but it shows you just how serious an incident needs happen before these housing bodies take action.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119516877#Comment_119516877

Not to mention the rampant overrunning of the parking spaces by trannies 😮

mvt

Just want to say if the OP is an owner they are the management company & I think they might mean they are complaining to the management agents.

Maybe get onto the directors or better still put yourself forward as one - you can do that at any time.

The problem tenant might be moved on but you might get another one in their place, just another fun aspect of living in an apartment complex.

Sugar_Rush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119519380#Comment_119519380

To be honest I count my blessings every day I managed to get this place at all.

Being able to "move" at will is a luxury not at my disposal currently.

Besides which this wasn't a thread titled, "should I move?"; it was seeking advice as to how to manage a horrible and difficult, yet unfortunately not uncommon situation.

Sugar_Rush

Not to be prejudiced but the degree to which this happens in council housing estates must make it a living hell being housed there.

What blows my mind is if another tenant (me in this instance) addressed this situation in a more "hands on" way, suddenly I'm a terrorist.

It's crazy.