NYC Homeowner Says Neighbor Puts a Sandbag on the Sidewalk When It Rains to Funnel Water Onto His Property Instead — ‘How Crazy Do You Have to Be?’

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It takes a special kind of neighbor to make a rainy day worse. One New York City homeowner recently vented in the Bad Neighbors subreddit about a problem that literally washes up on their doorstep: a neighbor who places a sandbag on the sidewalk whenever it rains, redirecting water runoff straight onto their property. What should be a passing storm has turned into a steady stream of erosion and frustration.

The post included a photo showing the soggy scene—a sandbag sitting squarely on the sidewalk, rain pouring down, grass bordering the walkway, and water rushing exactly where it shouldn’t. The homeowner explained that normally rainwater flows down the sidewalk and continues on its way. But once the sandbag is planted, “a majority of it flows down the small footpath next to my house,” cutting across their yard. Their concern wasn’t just the inconvenience—it was the long-term damage: faster soil erosion right along the side of their home.

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Readers were quick to weigh in, and the comments section read like a mix of legal advice, homeowner hacks, and exasperated sarcasm. Some suggested the simplest fix: “Move it,” one wrote flatly. Another quipped, “In the trash.” But others raised more serious concerns. One pointed out, “There’s a very good chance that intentionally directing water runoff onto a neighboring property is a code violation.”

Others weren’t so quick to blame the neighbor alone. A commenter observed that the city’s sidewalks and drainage might be the real culprit, arguing, “That sandbag diverting flooding onto your property isn’t cool at all. Move that nuisance every single time you see it there. You are well within your rights to move it. And tell them why you’ve moved it if they ask.” They also encouraged filing complaints with the city “every damn time it rains” until someone fixes the drainage.

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Practical suggestions poured in, ranging from installing French drains or tile lines to setting up barriers of your own. “Put up your own sandbags lining in front of your property,” one user wrote. “His is on the sidewalk which causes a dangerous condition to passersby. If you move that one and put your own up, no one can complain.” Another added that some fire departments even provide sandbags to residents for flood prevention.

Of course, the simplest solution might be a conversation—though commenters doubted how far that would go. As one put it, “I highly doubt someone who’d put down a sandbag to direct water away from their house, and onto another, is going to be a nice, sensible person.” Another, less diplomatic voice asked the question that summed up the general mood: “Who even thinks about doing sh*t like this??? How crazy do you have to be?”

Underlying the drama is a bigger problem many homeowners face: water management. Heavy rains, poor grading, clogged city drains, and sidewalk design flaws can all combine to create disputes like this. One commenter noted bluntly, “This is a city problem… You probably pay for stormwater drainage on your water bill. Contact the city with photos and videos of the runoff.”

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For homeowners, drainage issues aren’t just an inconvenience—they can lead to costly foundation repairs, eroded yards, and endless feuds with the folks next door. Some suggested building a small retaining wall with bricks or burying a drainage pipe to redirect water away from the house. But all of these fixes cost time, labor, and money—sometimes without solving the bigger infrastructure flaws.

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Still, for this NYC homeowner, the fight remains very real and very wet. Until the city addresses the runoff or the neighbor gives up the sandbag strategy, the options are limited: install defenses, document everything, or keep dragging that bag out of the way.

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This article NYC Homeowner Says Neighbor Puts a Sandbag on the Sidewalk When It Rains to Funnel Water Onto His Property Instead — ‘How Crazy Do You Have to Be?’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com