First, as a community-board representative, she has special liaison people in the various city agencies with whom she regularly deals. Also, a complaint made through the community board may carry more clout with the agency. Finally, the board can keep pushing for action with a persistence that may go beyond the frustration threshold of any single individual. And some times there is no satisfactory solution. Private garbage trucks operate at night to avoid creating traffic problems during the day.
Some necessary noise is permissible.
Nonetheless, Ms. Brown has gotten relief for many noise-irritated citizens, and other community boards may have similar savvy and determined staffers to help your noise complaint reach the right ears. Tenants frequently complain to their landlords about noisy neighbors. Some landlords will demand that noisemakers stifle themselves. If the noise and the protests continue, the landlord can serve a notice of eviction on the offending tenant. This has actually happened in a number of cases.