Congratulations to the homeowners of Enchanted Hills who have decided they’re not going to sit back and watch their neighborhood, stable for 50 years, be diminished by vandals, thieves and druggies.

“I believe it’s going to work out,” said resident Ray Hollis after a meeting with his neighbors last week. “I thought I was the only one who noticed all of this stuff that’s going on, and apparently I’m not.” The session ended with a commitment by homeowners to communicate, to watch out for each other and to alert authorities when necessary.

It is often said that a home is the largest investment people make, but this is about more than money. There’s no greater shame that a community can have than if retirees, living within their means in paid-for homes, find themselves trapped, feeling powerless while their personal security and the value of their investment slips away. There’s no greater shame than allowing the crowning years of life to become years of fear.

Vicksburg police attended the meeting and pledged to be helpful. They have tools at their disposal, including a city curfew, and, acting on a tip, they returned two days after the meeting to make drug arrests.

The big picture and what’s most important is the apparent decision by homeowners to be resilient and alert, especially now when problems are manageable.

Vandals, thieves and druggies are a sad reality of life in most cities, but another reality is that they can be sent scurrying. About 40 people attended the first gathering in the subdivision of more than 100 homes south of Interstate 20 between Wisconsin Avenue and Porters Chapel Road. More need to join the effort.

Enchanted Hills can be a good place to live for 50 more years. It will be if the example set by today’s homeowners is followed.