Fremont Neighbors Say Hindu Temple Events Are Too Loud. The City Says It's Working on It

Residents living near the Fremont Hindu Temple, also known as Vedic Dharma Samaj, say the temple's large events are disrupting their neighborhood, and they want future gatherings scaled back.

What neighbors say

The neighbors, who asked not to be named, told NBC Bay Area they have filed dozens of noise complaints with the city over the past year. They showed the station records of more than 25 complaints made to city code enforcement, along with footage of what they describe as an ongoing problem, including noisy events during school hours.

"We have had issues with sleep. We have had problems waking up in the morning because these events sometimes go on for very late in the night and it's been very frustrating," one neighbor told NBC Bay Area. Another said, "The first week we moved in, there was almost like a concert-like setting in our neighborhood here."

Neighbors say they are not opposed to the temple holding events. They want organizers to be more considerate of the surrounding community and to reconsider the size of gatherings.

The latest event

In July, the city met with neighbors and temple representatives to try to find common ground. Last week, another event left neighbors frustrated. NBC Bay Area reported that the temple had a special event permit, but neighbors say amplified sound continued past the city's 9 p.m. cutoff.

What the city says

Fremont confirmed it received complaints about last week's event and said it is looking into them. "City staff will continue coordinating with the temple and adjacent neighbors, monitoring activities and adjusting future permitted activities as appropriate to work toward constructive solutions to the issues that have been reported," the city said in a statement to NBC Bay Area.

NBC Bay Area said it reached out to the temple's president but had not heard back. The California Post, which also covered the dispute, said it had contacted the temple for comment.

About the temple

According to the temple's website, as cited by the California Post, the Fremont Hindu Temple has served the Bay Area since 1985. Its roots go back to the early 1970s, when immigrants from India began practicing their faith in their homes, and members bought a building in 1982 to create a permanent place of worship.