Depending on where you live, and exactly what you decide to live in, the answer could be yes. In fact, a growing number of city and county zoning agencies around the world are implementing ordinances to crack down on off-grid living, in many cases making it a crime.
Over the years we’ve covered numerous examples of how government officials from around the world have been systematically targeting those who choose to live an off the grid lifestyle.
From targeting self-reliant homeowners with antiquated zoning laws and regulations to forming special zoning boards that are designed to force people back onto the grid, there seems to be a war against self-reliance, and sadly it seems like the government in many cases is winning.
Living off the grid Illegal in many areas of the United States
Throughout the United States, government agencies are forming so-called “nuisance abatement teams” designed to intimidate and force Off Grid homeowners into giving up their land or abandoning their lifestyle. Believe it or not, people are actually being fined and jailed for choosing to live an off-grid existence.
From Costilla County, Colorado trying to ban people from building off-grid homes or camping on their own land to the federal government actually trying to make it illegal to live in a tiny house or off-the-grid RV, there are a growing number of government agencies attempting to regulate this lifestyle out of existence.
While the mainstream media continues to ignore the problem, a couple of independent media organizations and a few reporters have taken notice, and over the years we’ve tried to shine a spotlight on the problem. One of the first cases we covered was the story of how Off Grid enthusiasts in California were being harassed and targeted by their local government officials.null
Off grid Homeowners intimidated into to hooking back into the grid.
There are literally thousands of examples of people who have been harassed, threatened and even fined and jailed for going off the grid. Here are some examples:
The Deserts of Los Angeles County, California
The deserts of Los Angeles County, California used to be a sort of mecca for those looking to live a more self-reliant lifestyle. But just like so many areas of the country, these Off-Grid residents are being targeted, arrested, and intimidated into to hooking back into the grid.
A couple of years back, Reason Magazine took a film crew out to one of these secluded desert towns in California and filmed some of the off-grid residents. From being threatened with jail time if they didn’t hook back into the grid, to actually being thrown in jail because the county didn’t like the look of their homes or land, the people in the deserts of Los Angeles County are being terrorized by their local government.
Instituted in 2006 by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors’ Nuisance Abatement Teams have been targeting and jailing residents for victimless misdemeanors and code violations.
Code enforcement teams have been hitting unincorporated areas of L.A. County hard, leaving local off-gridders unsure of what the future holds. Residents are scared that they may lose not only their homes but their freedom as well.
The case of Robin Speronis in Cape Coral City, Florida
Robin Speronis tried to go off the grid in Cape Coral City, Florida. She was cited by the city for using rainwater, using solar power, not being connected to an approved water supply, and being in violation of in violation of the International Property Maintenance code. She was eventually thrown in jail and evicted from her home.
Vet who fought for our country, Thrown in Jail for Living ‘Off The Grid’
In November 2016, Tyler Truitt, a veteran, was thrown in jail for violating a city zoning ordinance.
“We live out here off the grid, 100 percent self-sustaining,” Truitt said. “So I basically made all my utilities: I have my solar panels, I have my rainwater collection and stuff. ” took an oath that I would support and defend the constitution and the freedoms that entails, and I really feel like those are being trampled upon.”
Is it really your land? According to most zoning officials, you need to follow their rules!
On top of using size restrictions to limit what off-grid home owners can live in, towns throughout the U.S. are also targeting mobile homes. In many areas, houses are required to built on a foundation and hooked up to public utilities.
Unfortunately, that piece of freedom that you bought might not be so free. If your land is not zoned for recreational vehicle living, off grid living, or camping you may be in for some serious trouble.
It’s a sad day when living off your own land becomes a crime. Please spread the word because cases like this are increasing at an alarming rate.
they want me to drink the soy milk… turn down the porn… and pick up testy pills… oh yah.. and keep taking my ritalin?
wutdafuk….
Fortunately, in Arizona, you’re allowed to live off the grid. Three of our northern counties have lots of people off grid. It’s a bit tough for them when they go to put a manufactured home on there because those are regulated by the federal gov’t, but after it’s installed, owners pretty much do what they want. The county building dept’s and small town leaders have generally been there a long time, so they communicate with those folks a bit differently than city and town folks. But then most of Arizona natives are against heavy regulation of anything. It’s the transients to this state that screw everything up, like from California who try to make Arizona into another California. Probably why most AZ natives are NOT Cali fans. If you haven’t heard, us Arizonans are a bunch of gun toting wild west red necks from the OK Corral. I guess I could say that I resemble that remark! I do love my state, it’s the goobers here I question.
I forgot to comment about the video. I find it apalling that they have not rpovided anything in writing as to why they are doing this to residents. It’s pretty clear that it’s harassement to get people to sell their lands for development. I completely agree with that assessment. When leaders don’t communicate honestly and openly, they leave stakeholders and constituents to only assume that there is a hidden agenda.
Let. The. War. Began
What deee frickkk…..Began?…as in past tense?
So….you want war? Who would want war? WWWWWWWWWWWWWTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!
OMG….
Okay…what part of crazed fringe weirdo, doomsday predicting, war promoting, off the wall(grid)…off the planet, out of touch with reality, etc….are we not getting?…Again, I repeat…WTF?
3 words: Follow The Money.
Good….an intelligent response, and a move in the right direction…..
Where in the hell is the ACLU? This is exactly what they exist for!
I am an American because I was born in this country, and I truly believe that this country belong to the people of the United States. With that said the government can not force people to live where they tell them to, or to be part of their society. The Declaration of Independence, states that if the government fails the people, then it is the peoples right to take back the government. So, I will leave you all with this: If the day came that I had to go into the forest, woods, or just leave society I would like to see the government try and stop me, or even try to arrest me. I am an American, and I will fight for my freedom at what ever the cost.
Alex: You are right….unfortunately, if you break the law you will be arrested or worse. Who in the government would tell you where or how to live ? Be specific. Cite a legal statute or locality. Define society. Freedom is a relative term. Whose forest or woods will you be going to ? National Forest or Park?…Save yourself. Work within the system to make it better. The government IS the people. The national forests belong to the people of the USA, true. But, you cannot run there and live there….it is illegal. Now if you own some nice woods to escape to, that would be okay. What is worth fighting for…and losing?
They are stealing land,so they can make money for themselfs.I hope that more people can ban together and protect their land.
While I’m not off the grid yet, I’m working at it. From another view point, I’m in law enforcement and have. only seen places (homes) like this being condemned by the GOV as you say when it becomes a health and safety’ issue. Usually this involves children living in such filthy conditions to cause health concerns or a location of such poor repair as to cause an immediate threat to their safety. No water means no hygiene, and no drinking water (essential for healthy life). As far as electric goes, Most all cities have or ordanances requiring electric to be tied into the grid. Butt most all counties and states just require you to have electric power. We have tons of off gridders in my jurisdiction and most of them are great, but some of them shame the off grid movement with their bullshit like this story.
What this story fails to show you is the overflowing feces on the floors, toilets overflowing with feces, trash everywhere, homes, RV etc in such poor repair and so disgustingly filthy any decent person wound not enter without a steril body suit and gas mask. Children so dirty, mal nourished and in many cases affected by their so called parents drug use. Or the frequent theft of other peoples utilities.
These are the reasons code enforcement types and law enforcement usually come into contact with people living like this, not to mention the vast numbers of them being on some form of probation or parole. This is not insinuating all off gridders are like this of course. Many off gridders live very healthy happy lives, but others live in squaller which can be a threat to public health, enviormental health and good common sense.
The other thing to think about is these people are not being targeted for living off the grid, as there is no law anywhere I can find which states off grid living in any state is illegal that is as long as you pay your Taxes). They are being targeted because their living conditions or living standard are so poor it has been deemed a detriment to themselves, their children and the environment they live on. Not to mention the trespassing / squatting on property belonging to others, and or building / parking your trash heap of hepatitis infested fire trap of a home along with all the other desert rat trap homes right next to a neighbor who has to deal with your unsanitary conditions and safety code violations threatening his home property and family.
There is a living standard in the law which requires (access) to basic utilities.
1 water: city water, well water, spring water, etc. you get to pick.
2. Heat: for winter, wood stove, fireplace, forced heating and air. Again you pick.
3. Waist removal: city sewer, septic tank, composting toilet, or just about anything else that doesn’t involved your uncontrolled sewerage from contaminating the ground or water system.
4. Electricity, while highly recommended is not generally a requirement, unless it is needed to facilitate you water and or heat and for most people it does. Even then it can be : city power, solar, wind, hydroelectric, generators etc.
The key word is Poor. Their just poor, and I for one do not judge them for that, because there was a time in my life prior to becoming law enforcement, where I was a homeless man, who happened to be poor as a door mouse. I feel for the poor because I know how much it sucks to feel your will to live and your pride seep from your body as you try to keep warm. I was lucky enough to fix my situation, let’s hope these men women and children can do the same.
Bless all preppers, all off gridders for we will have the knowledge and fortitude to continue on in case (insert disaster here) ever befalls this world and this great nation.
And people please quit bagging on the government, because it does no good. The Gov isn’t set up to help us out of every jam, nor were they intended to help us from anything other than protecting us from foreign and domestic enimies of this nation. Every other thing the government provides, student loans, aid relief, disaster releaf, welfare, list goes on and on, is all a bonus. In fact great men who founded this country and it’s ideals fought against providing these types of services to the citizens because they believed the citizenry needed to be self reliant and not dependent on their governing body for basic life.
It is our fault as citizens if we feel the government has become too intrusive, because we allowed it to happen out of our own greed, and we’re to lazy to remain self sufficient.
The government is not broken, we the people are, the government has spent the better part of two centuries trying to make the people happy, and we keep wanting more. When does it stop?
Just my thoughts on the matter.
Amen…..thank you for the intelligent, and common sense comment. God bless you Onestar 14.
My takeaway: we need to change these laws that require people who are living in rural areas to meet all these “quality of life” standards that you listed.
To alleviate poverty, How about providing people with a decent minimum wage, decent unemployment and veteran benefits and help finding them employment, decent schooling in the first place, including vocational education. Most of all, affordable high quality state – provided health care. Re the latter, the greatest cause of bankruptcy in the US is because of medical bills. To many of you, this would be ‘socialist’ or ‘communist’, but this is quite normal for most other western nations. The trouble with Americans is that you have been brainwashed by the greedy and by the corporates, who have no concept of a decent democratic society or ‘the commons’, or even of the long term good. They only ever think about making more and more money and ever increasing profits. They pay minimal tax. Americans, especially those of the south and Tea Party orientation, love to think of themselves as Christian people and yet their over- obsession with individuality and individual rights means that they are conned into voting for politicians who have no concern for the poor or underprivileged or fairness in the system. Those politicians are financially supported by the elites and corporates, who,through the mass media and advertising, spread fear, materialism and self centeredness. Not that other western countries don’t have problems or greedy individuals or organizations, but they are generally much better places to live, work and raise families than the US in its present state.
Nice thought, but oversimplified. I have yet to find a county that doesn’t force you to have a sewer or septic hookup. Composting toilets are sometimes allowed, but you still have to hook up to these expensive services.
Also, why should anyone be forced to install heating, even in a cold area? If you build a home out of the right materials (e.g. earthbags, maybe even with extra scoria insulation) or build your home partially underground, there is no need for heating at all. Even if does get cold, it should be within my rights to be cold if I so choose. Rocket stoves are an extremely safe, efficient way to heat anything, and yet building departments, because they don’t know what they are, are afraid of them and won’t allow you to use them.
Same with running water. Setting up traditional plumbing can get expensive. If I want to run out to a well and pump water every times I want it, that should be my right. A bucket and a sponge is all you need to clean yourself from head to toe.
People who want to live off the land and who really believe in freedom to the fullest need to JOIN TOGETHER and COMMUNICATE. Just something as simple as having meetings, volunteering to teach each other tips and lessons gained from our different experiences.
We can defend our freedoms: we should start meeting and forming a community of like-minded individuals, maybe eventually we can get lobbyists who can go represent our interests in DC.
Yeah….thats what we need…meetings,and lobbyists in DC. Oh…and change the laws. Right. here is a novel idea for you cup of Joe…How about obeying the law?…PRETTY SIMPLE HUH!…Who in the government is going to bother you,find you, or care;…if you are living simply and following the law. You can live off-grid-legally….Cite a statute that says differently…Swat teams, etc..only show up when laws are broken…there is more to the story in the video. Paranoid fringe weirdos predicting the doomsday need a reality check. Start by obeying laws. Off-grid means only to be disconnected to a power grid. It is legal. Everything else here is speculation, uninformed, juvenile, and out of touch with reality. Not one blogger has cited a law saying where or how it is illegal to live off the grid. Not one. Show me the law. Show me the money. Put up or shut up. You can’t poop all over the ground….there are health laws….you have to have water. Heat is easy….It is not illegal to NOT have AC!…The entire premis of this blog site is out of touch with reality, fueled by paranoia, and an isolated case/video that isn’t showing all side of the truth. Come on. What does it take?…or more importantly…WTF!…I am waiting…reading…ready.
I have a Travco RV which is a class A motorhome. Fully self-contained and green. The water from the large fresh water tank which is used by the kitchen sink, bathroom sink and shower drain into a grey tank and this is the water used to flush the toilet instead of wasting fresh water for flushing. This even larger tank (black tank) is pumped out about every month and is always well below 1/2 full. It has ac, heat, a frig and a hot water heater all of which will run off DC power or the 6000 watt generator. I am on my own, paid for, land and I’m being threatened with a fine or up to a year in jail if I continue to live in this RV. So it would seem You Are Wrong and might want to do some research.
I forgot to mention that I’m on over 6 acres of mostly wooded rural land well outside any city limits, is free of trash, and a well maintained yard.
He went looking for America…..
….and couldn’t find it.
“It’s difficult to be free when your bought and sold in the market place”
“Well it doesn’t make them running scared”
“No…it makes them dangerous”
“NEEEK NEEEK NEEEK…SWAMP”
What the phuk is this? Are you kidding me…”NEEK NEEK NEEK”…WTF!…Diagnosis:AFU. Report to the nearest ER.
Those were some of my neighbors pictured and it is actually much worse than what you have read about. Ranch owners come under attack all the time by Los Angeles County NAT. NAT, comes in around 5:30AM and does a swat style raid and goes after homeowners for anything and everything; right down to the number of chickens roaming the ranch and what kind of vehicles you can have on your land.
They leave little old ladies out in the winter cold for hours and then leave with the house ripped up and huge fines they know the owner could never pay; then they seize the property.
You would think that living out in the middle of nowhere you would be left alone, not in LA County!
I was extatic to find this page. I had no ideas that there were so many people out there that felt the same way as I do. There is far too much goverment for us to really live. The fines, the fees, the permits. There is so much nonsense. I could write for days about how much BS there is in our country. My girlfriend got a ticket a few months back because my 11 year old dog still has his balls. Apparently you need to have a permit both for having a dog and for their balls. This is just a small example of what we’redealing with.
In short, I’m fed up. I’m ready for a change. I’m ready for a battle, war or peaceful demonstrations.
Either way, something has to change.
We live in a connected world. We can communicate. We can organize. Locally, nationally, worldwide… We have that power. Why aren’t we using it?!?!
We ARE using ‘inter-connectedness’, Blake. Amazingly enough, Egypt actually started some of the first Occupy Wall Street protests. Our people over here have been in contact with their “organizers’ for quite a while. But Americans are ‘soft’ compared to the Egyptians, who have had to deal with violence and government oppression all their lives. Peaceful American protesters have been maced, shot and beaten. The riot police have alot of big bad weapons and they know how to use them. Most us folks just want to live a peaceful life and be left alone. I’d hate to have to spend all my time training to shoot a high powered gun…I don’t want to kill anyone. I don’t want my own limbs blown off, either. I think the most effective way of fighting is with your money. Don’t give it to them! That’s one of the main reasons they are trying to snuff out all the self efficient folks…we don’t NEED the government!
Hey I have been searching for a community of people that want to go out in live off the earth, growing gathering, and hunting all the food and medicine. or already have a community out somewhere where they own the land. Where can I find these type of communities?
I’m ready to stand up!!!! I have been ever since I got back in January 2010 from and 2009 deployment. I realized that I was nothing but a pawn in a big corrupt game of money and power. I realized that I was helping to kill my own fellow soldiers.
I just received a letter from the IRS on Monday the 27th 2012 stating that they need information from me because the stupid fucking Department of Defense can’t send them a simple little letter stating that I was in fact deployed in 2009. So now I gotta dig out my DD214 and send it to them. Plus I’ve been paying off part of my sign on bonus for almost a year now even tho it states in my contract that I earned every little bit that I got. I tried to straiten it out but all they do is feed me a bunch of Bullshit saying I needed to meet some other requirement to that’s not stated in my contract.
The only difference between doing it and not doing it is…doing it.
We’ve been off grid since 1984, built our house with native materials…grow, hunt, fish, gather about 80% of our food, trade for the rest. We still have and foster community, treat others well and lend helping hands. We aren’t friggin’ islands…and the county sheriff knows I’ve got his back.
What is ironic is that these county inspectors can enforce “aesthetic” codes meanwhile coal and oil companies are tearing up the earth and oceans and destroying the environment and they go uncensored and unrestricted.
I have seen this kind of nonsense before and i guarantee that they are being systematically forced to relocate because the city officials are in cahoots with developers who want that land for their own development purposes. What they DONT want is media exposure. They dont want their constituents to know what they are doing because they are dealing under the table and they could lose everything. So to help out those folks, the city must be forced to pay for their land and relocation at a good price for the potential future market value and make sure there is plenty of media exposure on the proceedings. Their goal is to get the land virtually for nothing and make a huge profit on it. The citizens goal is to play their game only do it one better.
start a petitions its is the governing body of the area that adopted National Zoning Laws ,so how the live in new York is under the same law as the middle of the desert… well what works in New York don’t work in the desert and visa versa and from town ship to town ship and state to state, that is why there shouldn’t be a National Regulation or law for any thing if you don’t like it there is very little escape this type of thig should never happened if you don’t like one town or counties laws you are free to move to a different town or county if it is a State law you don’t like then you could move to a state that is more liberal or conservative but when it is national there is no escape from legislation that you don’t agree with “You Will Conform Or else ”
Yes, this is true. I have relatives who live near these folks, and the places are way out in the middle of No-where. They wren’t bothering ANYONE. What BS. I think the government is testing and training local authorities in the art of harassment and control of American citizens. They know these “desert rats” have no friends, family, or communities to rise up and come to their defense. So the “authorities” will learn the feeling of success in their bullying of the American people. Sort of like how dog fighters and cock fighters do. They steal a gentle dog and force it to try to defend itself against their fighter dogs (same thing with cock fighting) and the fighter dog can kill the gentle dog easily. The fighter learns the feeling of winning and can’t wait to kill it’s next victim. Eventually, the fighter dog is ready and eager for greater challenges. In this case…bigger communities of people who will give them more of a fight…which they are certainly ready for.
I am sick to death over this