In New York City, I have served on the Board of GrowNYC (www.growNYC.org) for thirty years (non-paid position), having been appointed to this organization by the present Mayor and the four former Mayors. Our website provides information on noise and as the individual who has conducted research and written extensively on the adverse effects of noise on mental and physical health, people are directed to contact me if they need assistance with personal noise problems. (I have been called the Noise Lady). Since noise intrusions are a major complaint in New York City, I do hear from many people with most contacting me after having first sought help from the 311 Helpline and the city’s agencies to whom their calls were directed. Over the years, I have developed techniques to assist many people successfully, but not always. One successful case involved a caller hearing the bed banging against the wall shared with her neighbor when the neighbors were having sex. The woman knew the housekeeper and I suggested telling the housekeeper that she has heard the bed bang against the wall (omit sex part) and it was probably damaging the wall. The housekeeper moved the bed and the noise disappeared. Additionally, people around the country have also sought my help with noise problems, contacting me often after reading one of my publications or hearing my interviews on podcasts and in the radio.
While both men and women have come to me exasperated with having to deal with their noise problems, I have found that many more women seek out my help and a large number are older women. Additionally, women callers frequently live in small studio apartments and cannot go to another room that could possibly be quieter. My findings are largely drawn from the many complaints I get about residential noise, often covered by the “warranty of habitability” clause of one’s lease, and most are complaints about noise from neighbors. There are also complaints about noise from building equipment. Many of these women have already complained to the landlord or managing agent, generally male, about the noise and tell me that their complaints have been dismissed. Those who have not directed their complaints to the landlord or managing agent are generally too timid to lodge a complaint with the person in authority. Women also complain to owners of nearby loud bars and restaurants but report that their complaints are not taken seriously.
Early in my conversations with the women who call me, I tell them they have a right to live without intrusive, harmful noises and that they should not be intimidated by those in charge who have ignored their complaints. I start out by writing letters on the behalf of these women to the responsible agents and then follow up with phone calls. Most of the recipients of my letters and phone calls are male. They frequently label the women who have complained as just being “sensitive” to sound. While there are people who are more sensitive to sounds, and others that are less sensitive, I explain during these calls that the majority of people fall in the middle range and these people are being “reasonable” about the sounds that are bothersome. I also note that others having to live in these apartments would probably find the noise intrusive. When I am told that people have the right to make sounds in their apartments, I reply that they do but their sounds should not intrude on their neighbors’ rights to “reasonable quiet” in their apartments. Often, I am told that the superintendents have not heard the noises when they visited the apartments. With many superintendents being male and having worked with loud equipment for many years, it may very well be that they have some hearing loss. Thus, they cannot hear the intrusive sounds.
Let me assure you that noise is an irritant that has been intruding on the lives of many people worldwide, causing them stress, a loss of sleep, physical and mental discomfort, and a diminished quality of life. Going to www.growNYC.org/noise, will introduce you to the relevant research on noise impacts. Knowing that there is literature linking noise to adverse health impacts will be helpful in addressing the noise problem. Secondly, one must become familiar with the bylaws governing noise restrictions, whether it be noise from overhead airplanes and helicopters, neighbors who play their loud music into the early hours, or construction sounds that not only rattle one’s windows but also one’s “nerves.” People are too often left to their own means to find out about their rights re: noise intrusions—intrusions that disrupt their daily activities, their sleep, their desire for some peaceful, restful relaxation, and more recently, with so many people now working out of their homes, their livelihood. They also have to find out whom to call with a noise complaint.
New York City noise complaints are, for the most part, dealt with by the New York City Noise Code which New York City passed in 1970 and then updated twelve years ago. (https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dep/downloads/pdf/air/noise/noise-code-guide-summary.pdf). It is largely the New York City Department of Environmental Protection which enforces this Code with a designated group of agents. Yet, this Code does not oversee noise from overhead airplanes and helicopters, controlled for the most part by the Federal Aviation Administration and local airports. Also, the Code does not cover the many residential complaints from neighbors. Residents have to depend on the “warranty of habitability” clause of their leases. Then, whom does one call to complain about noise. In New York City, residents generally call 311 and their calls are directed to proper agencies under the Noise Code. However, with regard to many of the neighbor to neighbor noise complaints, landlords and managing agents have to be contacted directly.
Now that I have provided some information on noise as a health hazard as well as where you can learn more about the New York City Noise Code and to whom to direct one’s complaints, let me explain further as to what one can do to lessen noises in their lives. Do find out if others in your building are disturbed by neighbor or building equipment noises. Ask them to join you in contacting building management. In numbers, there is greater strength and a greater likelihood that action will be taken. With regard to neighborhood noises, e.g. nearby loud restaurant, noisy metal plates on the road, do ask your neighbors if they are similarly disturbed and have them join you in your efforts to reduce the noise. Such complaints can be taken directly to the Environmental Protection Agency, police precincts and public officials. Do learn who your local public officials are and remember the City Council passed the NYC Noise Code. To parents who have children who are attending schools that are noisy from within or from without, e.g. passing trains, nearby road traffic, etc., please read the research on the adverse effects of noise on children’s learning and work toward achieving quieter learning environments for your children.
Do not let the dismissive attitude toward women complaining about noise stop you from taking action to ameliorate the noise. Instead, let this negative reaction be the incentive to direct you to the activities described above to lessen the noises in your life. On a more positive note, let me add that some of the women with whom I have worked on noise problems, have indeed become more active in reducing noise in their environment for both themselves and for the many other people who have been similarly affected by nearby noises. They understood that less noise in our environment would result in improved health and well-being for all of us. Less noise will also provide greater opportunity to tune in to the wonderful sounds in our environment, e.g. birds singing, gentle breezes, leaves blowing in the wind, which might very well be drowned out in time if the noises in our environment are not abated.
