Widow Who Bought Her Home 63 Years Ago Says A Neighbor’s Junk Pile And Leaning Fence Are Blocking Her Side Gate, And Code Enforcement Says All It Can Do Is Send Citations

Grace Flores can barely reach her own side gate. A fence on her neighbor’s side of the line is leaning onto her property, and a pile of junk sits along the bottom of it.

An old wooden fence running beside a grassy field.

After years of trying to get help from Code Enforcement in Corpus Christi, Texas, she says she is out of people to call. So she reached out to KRIS 6 News.

“Look At All The Junk And Clutter,” She Says, Pointing Along The Fence

“Look over here… Look at all the junk and clutter,” Flores told the station, gesturing at the debris stacked against the fence. She says the fence keeps leaning further onto her yard, which makes the side gate harder to get through.

Flores says she and her husband bought the home 63 years ago. Since he passed a few years ago, she says, she has been handling the problem on her own, and she is now in her 80s.

During a visit, she grabbed a measuring tape to show just how close the fence had crept. It was a small gesture, but it made the problem easy to see.

“What If Something Happens And I Need To Come Through Here?”

Her fear is practical. “Well, it really makes me scared. What if something happens and I need to come through here and I can’t do it?” she said.

She also worries about what happens if the deteriorating fence finally gives way. “To tell you the truth, I’m scared all of this is going to fall on my house, and it’s going to cause a lot of damage to my house, and I’m not going to have the money to fix it,” Flores said.

“My Sons Have Talked To Him, And They’ve Told Him About The Fence, And No Response”

Flores says she tried talking with her neighbor first and heard nothing back. Her sons tried too. “My sons have talked to him, and they’ve told him about the fence, and no response,” she said.

KRIS 6 News also tried to reach the neighbor, but nobody came to the door at the property.

That left the city. Flores says she contacted Code Enforcement and felt the response did not bring the relief she was hoping for.

Code Enforcement Told Her “The Only Thing They Can Do Is Send Him Citations”

“I tried to reach out to Code Enforcement, and they said the only thing they can do is send him citations. That’s all they can do,” Flores said.

KRIS 6 News first contacted Code Enforcement in September and sent along photos of the property. More than a month later, the problem was still there.

The city says it has two open cases against the neighboring property, one for accumulated trash and debris and another for the deteriorating fence. Code Enforcement says the owner was notified of both violations, and citations were issued after the property stayed out of compliance in mid-October.

How The City Says The Process Works

According to the city, property owners typically have seven to ten days to correct violations. If they fail to comply, additional citations can be issued, and any fines are determined by Municipal Court.

The city says its goal is to work with property owners to correct violations and give relief to affected neighbors. KRIS 6 News has asked for an on-camera interview with the Code Enforcement supervisor to learn more about the process and what other steps can be taken if the violations continue.

For Flores, the process feels slow. “I want them to do something. Something about all this,” she said.

What To Do When A Neighbor’s Fence Or Clutter Becomes A Problem

Stories like this one are more common than people think, and the frustration is real. The steps below will not fix every situation, but they can strengthen your position and keep a small problem from turning into a larger one.

Take dated photos. Pictures from the same spot every few weeks, with a tape measure in the frame as Flores did, show how a problem is changing over time.
Put your request in writing. A polite letter, delivered in a way you can prove, creates a record that you tried to resolve things directly.
Keep a log of every call. Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with, and what they said, and note the case numbers the city gives you.
Ask what the city can do next. Citations and fines are one tool, and it is fair to ask what happens if the owner keeps ignoring them.
Consider community mediation. Many areas offer low-cost mediation services for neighbor disputes, and a neutral voice can sometimes get a conversation started when letters go unanswered.
Talk to a lawyer if damage is a risk. If a fence or tree threatens your home, an attorney can explain what options exist where you live, and your own insurance company can tell you what is covered.

Why Older Homeowners Often Feel The Squeeze Most

Many longtime owners, especially those living alone, do not have a big budget set aside for legal fees or major repairs. A leaning fence that might be a weekend annoyance for a younger family can feel like a looming expense for someone on a fixed income.

That is why it helps to bring in family, a trusted neighbor, or a local news team early. Sometimes attention alone gets a file moved to the top of the pile, and a second set of eyes can keep track of the paperwork.

For now, Flores is still waiting. She has her photos, her measuring tape, and two open city cases next door, and she wants someone to step in. The story was reported by KRIS 6 News in Corpus Christi.

Willow and Hearth