That stinks for both that guy and the neighbors as well. I got a feeling that being reported to the city has a lot to do with your relations with your neighbors, you think?
When we lived in the STL area, there was a tiny house two blocks down and on a side street corner where the woman who lived there had transformed the tiny front yard into a wildlife garden. I used to admire it greatly on my daily trots. The house next to her sold and the new ppl (a young couple) apparently didn't feel the love, so the Wild Garden Yard lady got a visit and a warning from the city. I only found out because shortly afterwards I passed by and saw her out in the front angrily cutting down things. Stopped to talk and she gave the story. Told her how much I admired her landscaping and all the creatures that called it home, and told her where we lived -- and she actually said our front yard inspired her! I was so humbled. I suggested that she contact NWF and also become a certified wildlife habitat. (
https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Certify) She did so, put a NWF sign in the midst of her landscaping, and often had random ppl just stop by and knock on her door and ask for her advice. Oh, and the city left her alone as well because our Mayor and city council were pretty liberal-thinking ppl. It's interesting that we sold our home to another young couple, who promptly cut down the mature blue spruce in the front yard, chain-sawed "Mama and Poppa" -- our native American bittersweet vines that framed the doorway of our humble abode, and tore out the rain garden in favor of LAWN. Because kids apparently think you must have LAWN to fit in, or something. I don't even want to know what they did to our backyard sanctuary with the vines, ferns, perennials, raised beds veggie garden, and flowers. Bet it's all LAWN.