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.
Virginia has just approved Dominion Electric’s request to charge those who are off grid for a “connection fee.” This fee is for the wire that MUST, by the new law, be connected to your home, on or off grid. It can be up to $200 a month and is based on your acreage, not house size. Why does the wire need to be connected? If I’m not your customer, why should I pay you anything? Before the meltdown, I was going to install a full off-grid power system, replete with an Edison battery room, converters for both AC and DC hookups, solar and Honeywell wind towers.
I am not in Dominion’s service area, so I’m one of the lucky ones, so far. I live in an area that has an electric co-op, but those days a quickly coming to an end. Our co-op has to buy power from Dominion, so that fee will soon appear on our doorstep, no matter the outcome of any co-op vote. My internal grid is still on hold as after my wife’s 18 month unemployment, I am now living off the gov’s teat. Anyone need help with any kind of internal combustion engine in VA? I need to get that grid built and running before it all falls down.
Begin transmission…
It’s very simple folks, I agree with Clancy (way up top), their ultimate ‘endgame’ is world depopulation (2/3 of us no less) and the ‘grid’ is yet another expendable commodity like the ‘useless eaters yet useful slaves’ they consider us to be; they will all likewise perish except they repent. Selah. These childish yet deadly tactics of forcing everyone into poverty is right on track with their diabolical destruction of the world by design and their tyrannical iron fist smashing anything in its way is in full-force now (has been since the Babylonians, really). You see, the only way you can destroy an entire world is incrementally, you can’t just ‘poof’ the whole thing cuz if you desire to see extreme suffering, massive and brutal death and revel in the drunkenness of your wrath and hatred for all life, you gotta do it in stages. The devil came only to kill, steal and destroy and that old dead dog of a serpent is just doing what he was created to do, ‘the waster was created to destroy’. Many Christians (even atheists know somethin’ funky is goin’ on these days) are now waking up to the fact that soon there will be only one choice left for ALL humans to make, very soon you will be asked, “Will you worship the beast or die?”
This current scientific military beast grid dictatorship system is way beyond what Orwell could have dreamed up, but his warnings (although way dumbed down than what is really going on) have fallen on deaf ears to the tune of, ‘it’s fiction, not fact’. All the elites of this dying world know full well that the “Georgia Guidestones” are in fact exposing their demonic and deadly agenda – they declare that only 500 million people are needed to run this planet, the rest of us are well, basically in the way & need to be eradicated. You see, the only reason they ever allowed a ‘middle-class’ to form was because it was forced upon them, they believe that it is insane and a sin to compete (Amshel Mayer deRottenchild admitted as much), so who in their right mind would give up even a red cent of their ‘wealth’ in order for the ‘greater good’ of all. They believe they are the ‘chosen’ ones of Lucifer who one day (very soon) will rule the world in immortal bodies & shall go forth and terrify.
I’ve studied these putrid hybrid-humanoid creatures for nearly 4yrs now, they’re called lucifereans, not to be confused with satanists, these deceived idiots believe satan is still under his angelic title of Lucifer aka light bearer aka false light bringer, who in reality is already judged guilty by God & is merely awaiting his sentencing of eternal torment & damnation to be implemented; eternal separation from Holy God is eternal death for only God is the Source of Life. I don’t really have an issue with whether or not you believe me, that is irrelevant, what matters is that these deranged psychopaths who rule the world do believe Lucifer is God! So, for all of you who don’t know, this is a war we are in, and it really is Good vs Evil, God vs Satan, Light vs Darkness and Love vs Hate; the TRUTH is the truth with or without your approbation. The history books were corrupted years ago but if you dig a lil’ bit, you will find that each time the ‘ruled class’ morale challenged the ‘ruling class’ mind-set, there had to be bloodshed; there is never anything without the blood, for the blood is the life. Most of the blood spilled was the poor downtrodden enslaved masses, however, throughout history there have always been some courageous brave souls who helped hold back the flood gates of absolute annihilation from these vampires.
We are now in the era of ‘operation guillotine’ folks. You will soon see a cashless society, 1 world governance (even the diabolical Vatican calls for this), 1 world currency (who owns the world? Just ask the bankers & the Black pope), 1 world religion (they say that humans are the cancer on the earth that needs to be chem’d out), 1 world dictator (remember when baby-bush called for a dictatorship but only if he gets to be the dictator?) forced inoculations (vaccines kill more people every year than disease, remember most vacs are live virus’ anyways), fluoridation, synthetic composites and mass mind control social engineering programming (Orwell’s screens telling us what to think are already here folks, soft-kill weaponry is not fiction, come on, wake-up), compulsory sterilization (we are far too undesirable to be allowed to procreate at will, why do you think the eugenicists established Planned-Parenthood aka Planned your offspring’s death?), totally tyrannical laws (living off the grid will not only be impossible and illegal, it will be punishable by prison camp or death) and massive modern day concentration ‘compounds’ (for those of us who oppose the beast system) will house all the dissidents and useful slaves who can be held indefinitely (google bill-NDAA) without the right to a lawyer or even knowing what you’re being charged with, seriously, does this sound like a world you want to live in? Well it doesn’t matter, it’s what the powers that be want and an unarmed population against a heavily bio-armed military is just the saddest slaughter of sheep you will ever witness.
But this is nothing, wait til they come with the ‘RFID’ chip for your arm or head. You see, if they stick the implant in your hand, you can cut that off and still live, but if they jam it in your head, the only way you can get off their ‘grid’ is well, decapitation. I find it is so bizarre how these repulsive miscreants who worship death always want to see heads on platters, even as far back as John the Baptist were human heads considered the greatest trophy of all – they really are possessed by demons. Their whole mind is sick, these people think their money will save them, but I know they will one day be ‘casting their gold and silver into the streets’ and crying for the rocks to fall on their dead dog heads and kill them, but death will elude them, death will mock them & smirk at their tumult; when God shall laugh at their calamity, their suffering will be like none other, their punishment will be eternal and the smoke of their burning shall rise forever. Selah.
So on that note, what do we do? Well, most people will say just ride out the storm and ‘git ur gunz’ ready, store some food, grab some land, protect your family, yada yada yada, and this is all well for now, but the time will come and is even upon us where you will realize that if they can obliterate a city from off the face of the earth with just 1 bomb (Hiro what’ama?) then you will see there is truly only one way to live, with Hope in Jesus Christ. Now, please do not be misled, I am not religious (I reject any man-made dogma), nor am I here to convert or even promote any affiliation or denomination (like I said, I reject man’s ways) but rather I am here as His witness; basically, I don’t care what you decide, but I am compelled to warn you regardless because I refuse to have your blood on my hands when my judgment has come.
There is only One Way out of this thing alive with your soul in tact (and I ain’t talking about your physical body at all, that is surely gonna burn), it is by repenting for sins and receiving forgiveness through the Blood of the Worthy Lamb of God. Forget everything you ever heard, read or saw concerning life on planet earth and think of it this way, ‘If I’m wrong about Jesus of Nazareth being the Saviour of Mankind who died and rose again so that we might live forever in Him, I guess when we become worm-food it won’t matter anyways, but if I’m right (like millions of my brethren also), what you lose is your very soul – forever. The whole point of this war is for your soul, your mind is the battlefield and your body is the cannon fodder but do not be deceived, your soul is the true crown; either satan gets it or Jesus does, please remember, no matter what, Love conquers all. Amen.
1. Men who observe lying vanities, forsake their own mercy.
2. He (the 1 world dictator coming on the scene very shortly) causes ALL both great and small to receive the mark of the beast (666), that NO MAN might buy or sell without the mark and those who refuse to worship him shall be killed.
3. You too shall likewise perish, except you repent.
~End of these Days yet World without End~….. End transmission…
Wow, you nailed the worlds situation 100 percent. I grew up in socialist yugoslavia and like socialist eastern europe it taught me love, happiness and gave me spirit, even today that spirit lives in the people, even after the bombings of nato, civil wars and economic embargos people have spirit and love in their hearts, we don’t have ghettos and crime just because people are poor, we live together and socialize, we belive in jesus christ , here there have been many cases where a rich man loses a bag with 10,000 euro and a poor pesant that has nothing to eat returns it because it dose not belong to him. We have love for our fellow man and pray to god, only recently have things started to change with western/ american investors, but I pray my people will stay the same, my onlu message is show love to your fellow man, help him, live together and don’t compete with eachother, when there is no class divide its a beautiful life : )
Wow….this gets the ‘required’response of….”What the Fuck!”
OMG!…wHaaaaaaaat….deeeeeeeeeeeee.faaaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Hey….dude….I think you qualify for SSI diability, if you file under DSM III, diagnostic category of ‘AFU’. It is a relatively new disorder, shall we say, very recent. There are 800 numbers to call in your area. It will take you 2 years of diability to qualify for medicare, in order to get your medications.
Actually Wil, you qualify under DSM V for being given ‘psychosis’ and ‘narcissistic personality disorder’. I suggest you stop talking in real life before you get admitted to a mental institution.
Fascinatingly disgusting, turns my stomach. Can’t even believe these thieves of freedom can live with themselves. The only remedy is for the victims to deny their opressors the “sanction
of the victim”: don’t cave, make it a big deal. Go all the way. What have they to lose except what is already taken?
I love Phonehenge! It’s like the ultimate tree house from when you’re a kid and have all those dreams of living in a tree house all your life! How awesome! That’s sad that we live in a world today that has to revolve around permits, codes, and zoning, just so the county can make their budgets work. :(
I know I’m just one person, but my advice from my experience… If you want to live off the grid, Southeast Alaska is the place to do it! Officials understand that living off the land is how you survive. It is beautiful country, and there is nothing better than waking up in the morning with the Alaska wilderness sitting on your front porch!!
And no, I could NOT see Russia from my house! ;)
It is not Public Health Care and things like that you need to fear. It is the issue around business being tied to public polices. Medical to pharmaceuticals, oil and gas to energy the dollar. the dollar is based on oil not gold now and that is the bottom line.
This is all wrong and I do not know what the answer is. However we must not give up. We must not confuse issues either.
Knowledge, knowledge, knowledge.
I have 20 acres in N.central Wa. and have some trouble ,the gov’t.like all corporations,want me to pay to have elec.brough to me and tell me I’ll get back any $ if some one closer to the hookup ties in later.Then told if they wait 5years to hook into the line I supplied They don’t have to pay.Ive been in the construction industry my whole career and just want to build my cabin on my land that I bought I payed for .then of course they say that I’m contaminating the water supply below if I don’t have an approved septic,at a mere cost of 20-30k.and let us not forget water.they say I can’t even collect water I have to have a well!Hmm,My property is at 2700 ft elevation,who the hell are they to tell me anything.They weren’t there for me when I needed them,they’re not really there now,Let me explain,Ive been forced into retirement due to health,given an income for the rest of my life,medicare pays most of my med.so I shouldn’t complain right!Well even with a guaranteed income for the first time in my life suddenly I can’t get a loan for anything,and if I make too much $ in any given time they don’t agree with they’ll take my income too.I purchased this parcel becuse of it’s location,I don’t see how ANYTHING short of storing toxic waste,oh sorry they’re the ones storing that all over everywhere.I can’t see anything ever leaving my land and even affecting the environment.(that’s why I don’t want to live ON-GRID they get paid to trash OUR planet and want to punish those who don’t help pay they’re fair share to help pollute!The world would put in as many homes as they could on this parcel,Right after I finish paying all they’re improvement costs,and I hope ruining the area I chose happens long after I’m gone and costs them more than it’s worth,until then me ,my children and they’res will have an oasis of filth free land and I hope the govm’nt begins helping our citizens to continue these kinds of projects and be less concerned about how many tax dollars they might lose if they help.
This is why people know tax money is robbery. It’s taken by force and used against you.
Bureaucracy at work, California has the worst reputation for being high on property taxes. If you own land they’ll take that away from you.
How many of you have actually done anything in your own area to protect personal rights? Even the Tea Party people, such as in Illinois, freely voted against personal rights and then scratched their heads when you call them on it. Just this year the General Assembly voted near unanimously to eliminate several religious rights. They don’t even read the stuff they are voting on, but fear they won’t be re-elected for another term. That’s the kind of fortitude most of us seem to have. It’s like having two faces on the same talking head. One complains about the issue, the other explains why he couldn’t do anything about it. We have a lot of analyzers and commentators in America, but few doers. Get out there on the front lines and put your feet where your mouth wants us to think you are. Get active. Start writing challenges to what is wrong, get your voice in the press, show up at meetings, boo and cheer, wear a banner, make phone calls, write pamphlets, get in their faces, threaten to vote them out, campaign against them, hold their feet to the fire, and be willing to handle a few hundred defeats before you win a battle. A battle won is a Right protected. Don’t do like the talking heads in Illinois do. Be the person – in person – that you are here on this forum. Now let’s hear what you all have done to back your words. That’s America!
Land Patents … are you kidding? Many folks have lost their homes to that scam, going back to the beginning of the movement in the early 90s. A land patent ‘opens’ your land to the government. You need to ‘close’ the land, but the corporation does not acknowledge that either. They will take whatever they want. When you try any of these theories, you will lose, 99% of the time. I know two parties that gave up their land to ‘patent’ theory. One in Florida, one in Wisconsin. They lost it all. I think talktalktalk is right. You have to get in their faces and call them out in public as often as you can. Bad press for them is good press for your cause. And never send a toothless idiot to be your spokesperson or front man. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When you look like them, they will think that you think like them. Some of you would rather forsake a haircut and a shave in preference to losing your whole life’s work. One thing I noticed in the videos is that the enemy tries to demonize us by our apparent weaknesses. If your weakness is that you have little respect for yourself, then that will be your downfall, not your property. Your book is judged by its cover when on the bookshelf. After you are sure you can keep it, then you can spill all the coffee on it you want. Don’t expect respect if you don’t give any either. Sorry for that diversion, but what you see is what you get most the time.
End Days Watchman – I think your transmission is missing a gear. However, if you dump the Hollywood spin of your screenplay, there are some facts. I hope we can all see you at the next town meeting before Comet Hale-Bopp returns. Otherwise, get your radio a set of new batteries. It’s hard to pick you up.
The government has gone crazy and so has its officials.ha ha i think our country is going to the dogs.
So get involved in your government, while it is still a democracy.
If it is the corporate fascism you hate, you should be coming out against republicans.
But what you really care about is your religious bigotry,and right to discriminate, isn’t it?
These people whine about corporate power, while they want to vote for Libertarians and Republican Bigots who would enforce their religion on our personal lives, and deregulate corporate power?
Government is the only entity that can organize for the middle class and protect the people against the corporate and religious powers that are in opposition to the freedom of the people throughout history.
You idiots need to realize that, and quit letting republicans win.
Getting hot ?…..Uh oh…..I smell the burning flesh….and the knashing of teeth…”idiots” ?
LOL….only an idiot would reject God….but that excuse won’t do you a bit of good…better turn, before you burn!
How about some action? Give us a petition to sign or the names, emails and telephone numbers of county officials?
Future NATO-Bio Diversity zone?
Just to be a little objective here….
The documentary video’s constant usage of the word “Government”, as well as the statement that “Government Officials from Across the Country” are forming abatement teams and that living off the grid without government assistance is some sort of crime, is extremely misleading.
Los Angeles County is not the rest of the United States, nor does its laws and practices reflect what’s going on in the rest of the country, regardless of how Los Angelenos, or Californians for that matter perceive themselves.
It would have been more accurate to say “County Government Officials” or make the emphasis that this was a particular State and County issue than to use the word “Government” as a blanket statement.
Living off the grid without government assistance is by no means a crime in Arizona, and I’m more than confident that it’s not a crime in many other states.
Let’s remember that we’re talking about The People’s Republic of California here.
What else would you expect? It’s an entirely different world over there. Totally disconnected from the rest of the United States of America.
You want your freedom? Move the hell out of California.
I live in California…and what the hell do you mean…We have stiffer laws and more
not sure what he/she means but i’m guessing the nice person is talking about how California is an unconstitutional corrupt bureaucracy. sure the rest of america is but California is at the top of the unconstitutional corrupt bureaucratic as far as states go.
Is this not America,then this must mean that our forefathers were all criminals
Okay….wtf…seriously..WTF…this IS America. Our forefathers were brilliant. Isn’t apparant that most people today are stupid?…..Let me clear that up for you Michele…wtf!. Just sayin..
I live in a very small and very economically challenged town in the eastern part of the US…where two years ago I got a fine for $75 for having a MOP on my front porch. Yes, a mop. An armed code enforcement officer (“this is dangerous work, ma’am”) knocked on my door and told me that no sanitation equipment was allowed to be displayed. When I asked to see the law he told me I was welcome to go to city hall and ask to see it.
Although I fought this — and won — it didn’t stop them from trying to enforce all SORTS of weird laws they passed, including one that forbids the presence on your property of any plant that causes an odor or attracts any insects. In other words….mint plants, roses (dangerous for people in the yard, they attract lady bugs and have thorns), etc.
This last year they’ve laid off a bit, I suspect I wasn’t the only one who went nuts.
In the second Video it showed a letter of the LA County Department of Public works, Notice of Order. If Mr. Antonaviches Press Secretary says that they have had code violation complaints from Neighbors in the area it looks to me that all neibous where at attendance of the meeting they had, is this right? If so WHO WHERE THESE NEIGHBORS THAT WHERE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE VIOLATIONS??? Did any one ask for posted or written letters of these neighbors, from the LA County Department of Public works or office of Mr. Antonovich or other agencies that made these allegations of neighborly complaints to please produce them!!! Also, Is there anyone living in the area that is not being harassed by the local County. Why is it that an elected County official does not have to answer to his own zoning laws that the County is contesting of these people?
Why do you not succeed and make it separate County and a Separate City that uses different private firms, consultants, organizations to go through the permit process.
That was tried numerous times during the eleven year span I lived In Quartz Hill Calfornia from 1980-1991 and was beaten down each time by the big money interests who were only interested in developing walled communities in the high desert after they had already built us a prison populated by LA city scum and then built government housing to bring up the rest of their familes, importing crime where there was none before. Antonivich was supervisor along with Baxter Ward. When Ward left office mad mike started his rampage.
this is total bullshit.
i don’t live off the grid but they should be able.