I have been fighting a battle for the last four years on behalf of my 93-year-old grandmother who currently lives in Michigan. She lives on Social Security and her pension as a retired school bus driver for Southfield Schools in Michigan.
It was approximately 2016 when she had a neighbor build a home on the adjoining property. That neighbor has made it his life's mission to harass her, depreciate her home value, place surveillance cameras everywhere pointed at her residence, and line up broken-down vehicles, trailers, etc., along the property line. This has been done in an attempt to force her out of her home. In 2021, I battled with the local township to place an 8 ft privacy fence on the property blocking her view of this neighbor. After I paid $300 for a Zoning Board Hearing, they denied the full fence and only allowed a section. That section of fencing cost me $4,000. In May 2024, my grandmother, Lois Lunsford, was placed in hospice care as her heart is failing, and the doctors told her she could pass at any time. I was at her home in Michigan, and she said to me, "All I want is to not have to look at that junkyard off my front porch. I want it to be beautiful again."
As her grandson, I went out and purchased the largest trees I could and had them installed to alleviate some of the unsightly junk. The trees cost me $4,300, including installation. The neighbor's harassment continued, but the county will do nothing. In October 2024, my grandmother and I received a certified letter stating the neighbor was going to build a fence blocking the road, which would stop anyone from coming or going from her property. He stated that it appears he owns the road. She also received notice from the township that they approved the fence and she would need to tear down an approved section of fence, which they state was not originally approved. By doing so, she could build a new road. I knew at that moment we had to act. My grandmother and I hired an attorney and filed a lawsuit stopping the road from being built until a court can act. She sued him for tirelessly harassing her and, of course, the planned road closure.
She also asked for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the neighbor. In January 2025, we attended court where the judge denied her TRO request. It is now planned for us to go to court in May 2025 to get a verdict on the situation. It should be noted, he has also sued her for $100,000 for a litany of odd complaints which make no sense. As of now, I have paid $13,000 in attorney fees. Meaning this ordeal has cost me $21,600. My sister has sacrificed by taking her out of the home and has her living with her in Pittsburgh due to the fear of her being there alone. As her grandson, I will do what it takes. As a father of three myself, financially I fear it will not be enough to make this stop since most attorneys are quoting me $50k-$75k for a positive resolution. We are getting creative and currently attempting to donate some of her land to a Michigan Conservatory to protect a leopard frog habitat which would be disturbed by the new road, I just fear we do not have the financial backing to see this through.
Any funds raised through this effort will go to attorney fees and, most importantly, my grandmother Lois putting this behind her and enjoying her last days in peace. Her dream is to hopefully pass away in the place she has lived for 50 years and in the same place my grandfather died 23 years ago. Please sign the petition below.
