It sounds like someone has fed them if they are coming to a human...what a shame. I wonder what the ex-neighbors thought would happen to them if they became dependent on their handouts and they cut off that supply by leaving.

Raccoons can be difficult to deal with, at least for me. A couple of problems with trapping - the kits will usually remain with the mother for the first full year until the next litter arrives...around April or May. To trap them all and move at the same time may not be realistic.

Where you live dictates whether or not its legal to relocate. it's legal to relocate them in Florida. However, it's not legal to relocate them on public lands. You must do so on private land that you have permission to relocate on. Relocated raccoons want to get back to their original territory, so you should take them at least ten miles from the capture site.

To relocate in California (I'm trying to cover some of the states that would have dates, palms :) ), a permit from Department Wildlife is required. In Texas, notification must be given to Parks and Wildlife of the intention.

We had our own issue with raccoons doing some damage to the roof - that I won't go completely into. But when discussing them with our Dept Wildlife, they said please don't trap if not prepared to euthanize (WA state). Their advice was that not only are they territorial and will likely injure or be injured fighting if thrust into a strange area, they are carriers of diseases and viruses that may be quite localized, and moving them could easily spread illness to animals with no immunity formed.....They left the decision to the homeowner though, and no permit required.

If their food supply in your neighborhood is exhausted, and you'd just about have to have conversations with all your neighbors and make it a joint effort, they would likely move on to better hunting. In the meantime, you would need to look into catch and release regulations which will differ from state to state. There is even a chance they could be classified as fur bearers in certain areas, where trapping might be regulated to specific seasons and particular kinds of traps.