RottenNeighbor.com

I've been interested for a long time in how online tools and online communities can enhance real-life neighborhoods, and have written about the phenomenon for The Washington Post. I've always known that Americans -- historically very individualistic -- have an ambivalent love-hate relationship with the idea of community. Now comes www.RottenNeighbor.com, in which Internet users identify and complain about the bad neighbors nearby, so that prospective homebuyers are fairly warned. CBS News offered this report:

So far, the site is not well-populated with comments from many neighborhoods across the nation. And some of the posted complaints are from malcontents who seem not to have an ounce of human kindness or sympathy. But the site continues to collect data for several years, it could be a useful resource, and for those who are house-hunting, "let the buyer beware."