The Truth About Blinding Neighbor Lights (And What You Can Do)

El Paso homeowners are no stranger to having neighbors with annoying habits that frustrate the heck out of them! We get a few “Am I The Jerk” situations that prove that statement to be true and recently we got a situation that has me wondering what kind of laws are in place when it comes to bright lights in your neighbors yard!

The AITJ situation came from an anonymous listener who asked:

“My neighbor keeps their outdoor lights (which are extremely bright lights) on all night, every night, and since our houses are so close, it shines straight into my bedroom window. I asked them once before if they could turn them off overnight, but they gave me some excuse for why they “need” them on. Would I be a jerk if I called code enforcement to step in?”

The verdict ended up being NO, this person was not a jerk because they already asked once before so if nothing is getting done, try another route. After that verdict, I decided to check online if there were actual laws in regards to bright light situations like this and believe it or not. There actually is!

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Read More Responses To The AITJ Situation: 

Is it actually illegal for your neighbor to turn your yard into a stadium?

Short answer: sometimes. Long answer: it depends on where you live. According to Nolo.com and the Health and Safety Code Title 5, here are some rules and regulations on what they consider “Light Pollution” and how you can handle the situation if it becomes a nuisance. 

• Check Your Local Rules First: Many cities have ordinances about outdoor lighting, including how bright it can be and whether it needs shielding. If you’re part of an HOA, their rules can be even stricter. Translation: yes, Karen from the HOA might actually have a point.
• Try and Talk It Out Before you lawyer up: try being neighborly. Invite them over at night to see the “light show” from your side. Sometimes people genuinely don’t realize how blinding their lights are.
• Collect Receipts: If the convo doesn’t work, start documenting. Take photos, videos, and keep a log. The more proof you have, the stronger your case.
• Call In Backup: Contact your city’s code enforcement office. If there’s a rule being broken, they’ll handle it.
• Last Resort, Court: If your neighbor’s basically running a lighthouse and nothing else works, you can pursue a nuisance lawsuit. Courts do recognize excessive “light pollution” as a legal nuisance under common law.

Bottom line: you do have options if your neighbor’s lights are keeping you up all night. Just remember to always try peace before paperwork!