I would start documenting in video/audio/photos all the problems you are experiencing and then head to the town building committee or equivalent and complain to them about the unsafe (to workers and the community) practices the builder is using and see if they can't send an inspector and get him to clean up his act.

Yes, write it all down and take pictures. Lots of pictures. I "liked" your post when I read they took him away in handcuffs. How old is the guy? He sounds like part of the "me me me" problem in America.

Find out what your county code is for when work is permitted (his personal permits are public record .my county has them online)~ At exactly 1 minute past that time call the law~Once documented~Get all the neighbors to sue (individually)in small claims for loss of enjoyment of their property and loss of liberty to walk down public sidewalks.

Well the owner arrested sounds like a good start. Take lots of pictures!

What a nightmare. There was a new build at the site of a teardown a few blocks from me that went on for a couple of years. Boards on the windows, a yard full of mud, the works. But your guy and his midnight crew sound worse--hopefully he won't live there at all and will sell it to some very nice people who just happen to want a really large house!

I would really hesitate (singly or as a group) to sue a neighbor. I would document everything and get the town to act, though, as suggested.

Are you represented by a commissioner? They are often able to get to the right people in your local government who can get the situation under control. We had a similar situation (well, not that bad) in our neighborhood. Owner knocked his house down and then just left the lot abandoned (including a swimming pool). We finally banded together to get after him. When the local government heard from a large number of squeaky wheels, rather than what may be perceived as one disgruntled neighbor, they got after him and slapped him with one fine after another until he cleaned up the mess. He then proceeded to build a McMansion among our smaller colonials and then move away.

Oh wow, I am so sorry that you are dealing with a neighbor like that. The way it's going does not bode well for the future! I agree with everyone else-- keep a journal of it all and take photos/video. Enlist the other neighbors to do the same.

I wonder what the arrest was for? Refusing to clean up the mess, or maybe he had a warrant? It should be public record-- look up your police dept online, they usually have booking records available.

I'm really really sorry you're going through this type of ordeal and think it's very sad that some people feel so entitled to step all over others like that. Unbelieveable, I get mad just reading your post, I can only imagine what you must be feeling....wow. If it were me, I probably would have made sure he saw me waving good bye and taking a pic of him in had cuffs (with a BIG SMILE on my face).

In addition to what has already been posted, I'm almost wondering if it wouldn't be worth having a consult with an attorney to find out what, if any other recourse you may have.

Sadly, if he was arrested he may not pay his workers, there may be a work stoppage, and you say the debris is still blocking the walk. So sorry! Continue to call the city about the debris, though.

Oh my. I am so sorry this is all happening to your neighborhood. You might also alert the school if the debris continues to be an issue. I know our principal works with the city on anything that interferes with a safe walk to school.

Small, I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. Here I was so upset to woke up early with very early deliveries to the new house going up next door. After it continued to happen I called and talked to the builder asking kindly if they could start at a more decent time. Sadly this will not work for you. I'm really surprised he got permits for overnight work in a residential area, and on Christmas Eve no less! That's wrong on so many levels.
Hopefully his arrest will give him the wake up call he needs. I'll be praying it does.

Thanks so much everyone. It's a pretty strange turn of events. My husband thinks there must be something else to his arrest; maybe he had some kind of warrant against him? I did some googling and he seems to have a lot of fines but that's probably not unusual for a small-time builder.

In our area all the zoning and permitting is done through the county, which is very big and not terribly responsive. And there's enough money and lawyers in this area to make for a lot of ugly stories on both sides, irresponsible developers and obnoxious neighbors.

None of us wanted to be the obnoxious neighbor, so we've been resigned mostly to griping. The only time I complained was when our backyard began turning into a mudpit from all the runoff water - I had photos of the whole yard flooded, which had never happened in 12 years, and videos of the water rushing through a retaining wall that divides our properties. The inspector blew me off, saying the builder had 2 years to implement a drainage plan. He's been cited for other issues after other neighbors complained, but it's mostly procedural.

The Xmas Eve work was only done because he claimed his family was experiencing an sewage emergency; that's why the workers were so furious when they realized it was an unoccupied house. We went away on Christmas and when we came back they seemed to have moved some people in. I'm not sure they are permitted to do that but I'm still trying not to pick unnecessary fights. The owner said at the outset that he intended for his family to live here; I just don't why people would treat their future neighbors this way, even if they're not going to be here long.

We may have to involve lawyers and another neighbor has already consulted one. Our retaining wall has sprung some worrisome cracks. But I suspect it will be less expensive all around to simply fix it ourselves.

If he was arrested, you should be able to find the code (cause) on your county or city jail website. It's pretty much an open book these days. If you don't know the codes, you can google to find a list. I'm sorry your safe place/haven is being disturbed by an idiot.

Ugh that sounds awful! In addition to the great points made above, I might think about an emotional strategy that helps you limit just how upset you'll get over this stuff. A possible side-effect from documenting every misdeed is that it can get you worked up over and over again. That said, I wouldn't let it go either. Often there is reassuring vindication knowing that the law is on your side and taking steps to protect yourself.

The handcuffs thing is pretty funny. It would not be surprising if a person that is this rude has a track record of legal problems that eventually caught up with him.

In our area we have a real estate developer that exemplifies the 1%-er, obnoxious, no-regard-for-others persona. He's been mired down in legal trouble and finally the judge got tired of his slimy BS and sent him to jail! The community is entirely pleased with that. The developer put forth a petition to be released at Christmastime, and the judge denied it. Again, there were big cheers from the community. You reap what you sow. It somehow feels good when people like this can't squirm out of their bad actions.

Good luck! Hang in there and I hope you can adopt a strategy that helps you feel empowered rather than victimized.

I understand not wanting problems with a neighbor and my advise is much easier said than done, but by keeping silent and just fixing the damage to your property, you may end up sending the wrong message. He's a bully, plain and simple. But when it comes to bully's if you don't speak up from the git go, the behavior will just continue and could even get worse. You need to hold him responsible for the damages to your retaining wall now so he knows he can't just walk all over you whenever he feels like it and the longer you let it go on, the harder it will be to make him stop.

For years we suffered with a neighbor who thought the subdivision was hers. She was very intrusive and nosey and it was obvious that she didn't respect anyone's right to privacy at all. I know, it's not the same thing, but it was still a bad behavior that everyone in the neighborhood seemed to tolerate and it still required an uncomfortable confrontation to make her stop. She finally crossed a line with me and I called her to task on it by letting her know that if she expects for us to get along, she better back off. She was shocked and upset that I spoke up but at least now the problem is resolved.

If he's damaged the property of others, or since all the neighbors are tired of the BS, maybe you can confront him as a group, but if he's allowed to continue on the path he's been going down so far, I can almost guarantee that he will never change, there will always be something going on and you'll be miserable for as long as he chooses to live there. I'm just saying...

My sympathies. It is really shocking how one new person can mess up an entire neighborhood. I know, we are living it too.

You can always take a photo and email it to your self. You will have dated documentation

Update! The next door guy was back from his brush with the law; the trash didn't move until my neighbor's husband knocked on the door at 7am and explained very firmly that he was putting all our kids in danger. The guy apparently yelled some but finally did the right thing.

I'm kind of thinking this whole thing has been a new year's catharsis! All the neighbors laughed so hard at the bus stop today. We're going to have to live with him for a while, I guess, so that's not great. But at least we had the small victory of seeing him getting stuffed in a police car with handcuffs on!