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Navigating the complexities of hoarder properties requires more than just technical expertise; it demands a deep sense of empathy and a collaborative approach. For city officials, attorneys, court-appointed receivers, and other professionals engaged in these cases, understanding the underlying issues and offering compassionate support can make a significant difference in resolving these challenging situations. Here’s why empathy is crucial, particularly for California court-appointed receivers, and how to effectively work with hoarder properties.

Hoarding presents a multifaceted challenge impacting numerous communities and creating unique challenges for city officials, legal professionals, and public health experts. Effectively addressing this issue involves balancing individual rights with public safety concerns. In this blog, we examine the legal processes for intervention, emphasizing the applicability of California health and safety receivership laws.

Hoarding, a condition characterized by excessive accumulation of items and difficulty discarding possessions, presents significant challenges for landlords, city officials, and legal professionals. Understanding receivership in California and the overall legal framework governing a hoarder property is essential for effectively managing and mitigating the impact of this condition, as well as viewing the situation holistically to create lasting change. This blog explores key federal, state, and local laws relevant to hoarding, with a particular focus on California.

For years, California’s cities and counties have faced a conundrum when attempting to have a receiver appointed for substandard properties. Previously, the California Health and Safety Code § 17980.7(c) required an enforcement agency to provide a “3 Day Notice” to any property owner that they were going to petition the court for the appointment of a receiver.

Hoarding is a serious condition that affects millions of families in America. The effects of extreme hoarding can be heartbreaking and devastating. In these extreme situations, the courts may get involved.

Hoarders may be a popular reality TV show that features a few dozen people with compulsive hoarding disorders every season, but the truth is that millions of Americans suffer from compulsive hoarding.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, hoarding is a disorder in which someone has extreme difficulty discarding items that others may sometimes view as valueless. This disorder leads to extreme clutter and disrupts their ability to function in their living and workspace. Hoarding is not simply being messy or collecting something. Hoarding is an extreme accumulation of a variety of materials.

At the time of writing this post, the number of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the United States is rising. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared a pandemic. The Governor of California issued a “Stay-at-Home” Order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus by limiting non-essential activity. The courts in California are generally closed to the public. Being engulfed in the receivership industry, we have extensive experience with unsafe and unsanitary living conditions. Griswold Law often deals with properties that pose significant health and safety risks to communities across California. However, the COVID-19 outbreak is the first public health emergency that caused California to quarantine itself. Griswold Law is adapting as quickly as possible to these changing circumstances.