My neighborhood is comprised of educators, some retired people, some elderly widows, some couples, a few single folks, some with kids, some grad students.

It used to be quiet here. We could open our doors and enjoy the air. We could listen to our own choice of music. We could go to sleep when we wanted. We could read a book in our own living rooms.

We could look out the window and not see upholstered furniture on a lawn, or knee-high dandelions and overflowing garbage containers.

We respected each other’s rights and took care with each other’s comfort.

No more.

A family purchased a house here and put five or six kids in it.

The parents live in Portland. The unsupervised kids live here and go to Oregon State University.

We have been inundated with parties: Thursday and Saturday always — usually more.

There is constant loud noise. There are cars coming and going all night, with squealing tires and loud sound systems. There is yelling in the street. There is glass all over the street and trash everywhere.

There have been police calls and arrests.

We are weary of trying to decide whether to call now or wait and hope they get quiet.

It’s an ugly situation. And this is the third group of kids in the house.

We’ve tried to arrange a meeting with the parents to reach a resolution, and the police have been very supportive of our efforts.

This past Mom’s Weekend at OSU, the loud party with cars pulling in and out, and music booming included the owner/mom and other moms.

They spent the afternoon sitting on the couches in the front lawn, drinking, listening to loud music and talking disparagingly about us and our neighborhood in voices that we could easily hear.

Yes, the police did come and while the sound decreased some, the behavior escalated.

The police can only do so much. They can’t create ordinances. They can only work with the law as it exists.

We desperately need help from the City Councilors and mayor to expand existing laws and create new ones.

We need a redefinition of what constitutes a single-family dwelling — as opposed to a rooming house or multi-family home.

We need additions to noise ordinances. It’s an awful thing to have to legislate courtesy and respect but there seems to be no alternative.

Terry Weiss lives in northwest Corvallis.