TUSTIN : Neighbors Pitch In to Clean Up a Home

Being a good neighbor on North A Street means more than just waving hello or going to the annual block party.

“My first impression when I moved here is that it’s somewhat like the Dennis the Menace community. Everyone’s children just come by and come through your white picket fence,” said Catherine Burnett. “I see people helping each other in their remodels.”

So when Burnett learned about the problems of a 65-year-old neighbor, Charlie Shaw, and his 91-year-old mother about 10 days ago, she decided to help.

She, her husband Jeff and other neighbors are banding together to clean up the Shaws’ property to prevent the city from declaring it a public nuisance, having the yard cleared and billing the Shaws.

The Shaws’ house, barely visible behind overgrown plants, flower pots, birdbaths, boxes and bags of junk, is in stark contrast with the neatly landscaped, Craftsman-style bungalows that line the street. Overgrown plants and debris on the Shaws’ property harbor rats, and open containers of water lead to mosquito infestation, according to some neighbors.

Complaints prompted city officials to order the Shaws to clear the property about nine months ago, but little progress has been made.

On Monday, the City Council agreed unanimously to postpone its decision on the matter for six weeks to allow time for the cleanup.

“I want to applaud the efforts of the neighbors,” said Councilwoman Leslie Anne Pontious.

Shaw, a self-proclaimed scavenger, did not attend the council meeting but agreed Tuesday morning that his property needs some work.

“I’ve had a mess for a long time, and I’ve had a hard time cleaning it up,” Shaw said. Taking care of his mother keeps him busy, he said, and in his spare time he rides his bicycle looking for salvageable items in dumpsters.

“I’ve been collecting things for years,” Shaw said. “I used to make four or five trips a day on my bicycle to dumpsters. These stores throw away a lot of things that are still good.”

Burnett said she first learned of the city’s plans to declare the property a public nuisance when Shaw came to her door with a guitar and wanted to know if she and her husband thought it was salable.

“I asked him some questions and found out about his problems with the city, and I realized he didn’t have much time. To avoid having the city come in and do a full abatement, I just got involved,” she said.

Burnett, who is expecting her first child, said that about 10 people already have volunteered to help with the cleanup, which could begin as early as this weekend. She will also coordinate a garage sale of some of the items on the property.

“She’s a very nice lady and she’s very helpful,” Shaw said. “I tried to discourage her, but she convinced me that it wouldn’t do any harm, so I said, have at it.”