Man living in 5th wheel on his own land harrassed

[deryk_the_gypsy]

Now I own a little over an acre in the Poconos' (PA) and it's in a cheap community, my HOA fee's for garbage and snow removal is $550 a year, taxes another $1k...It's mostly all mobile homes where you own the land, a few houses a few tiny houses, and some trailers/rv's. Mostly all the lots have had septic and wells dug back in the 70's so people aren't dumping sewage on the ground . So there are places out there, you just have to really look around for them but it does suck originally I had a fiberglass trailer and just wanted a few acres to when not going to weekend camping events to just leave the trailer on the land and most town housing boards said nope..or not unless you build a house first, then the trailer can sit on your property.

 

[RonDean]

Now I own a little over an acre in the Poconos' (PA) and it's in a cheap community, my HOA fee's for garbage and snow removal is $550 a year, taxes another $1k...It's mostly all mobile homes where you own the land, a few houses a few tiny houses, and some trailers/rv's. Mostly all the lots have had septic and wells dug back in the 70's so people aren't dumping sewage on the ground . So there are places out there, you just have to really look around for them but it does suck originally I had a fiberglass trailer and just wanted a few acres to when not going to weekend camping events to just leave the trailer on the land and most town housing boards said nope..or not unless you build a house first, then the trailer can sit on your property.

I once converted a room with a separate entrance into a studio so a person could live there during a difficult time. The change would not have impacted any of my neighbors in any way. Had he/she/they not had me under a microscope it would have been unnoticed.

I had an electrician do the wiring, just to make sure it was safe. But, I did the rest of the work myself. Just as he was moving in, a neighbor complained to the county and I received a notice that I had to de-construct the room.

So, to the one that asked, who would do something like that? Unfortunately, there are many people who would. My neighbor didn't even have the courtesy or courage to ask what and why I was doing this. They just anonymously made someone else's life more difficult.

 

[rruff]

So, to the one that asked, who would do something like that? Unfortunately, there are many people who would.

They may not even be heartless or inconsiderate. Some people (a lot actually) are just anal about rules... and doing whatever they can to force other people to follow them. "Rules are rules" inflexibility. Makes life simpler for them I guess... not much thinking or empathy required.

 

[DannyB1954]

Nobody likes rules that pertain to them, but when someone wants to start a pig farm next to their property, they sure want zoning rules enforced. I am an exception to the rules, others are not.

 

[DannyB1954]

My neighbor didn't even have the courtesy or courage to ask what and why I was doing this. They just anonymously made someone else's life more difficult.

Did you have the courtesy and courage to ask the neighbor before starting the project?
It goes both ways. They were not the ones trying to be the exception to the rules. It was not up to them to make an appeal to you.

 

[BelgianPup]

Many people are anal-retentive about CONTROL. They not only want to control the land they own, but they also want to control all the land around them, at least as far as the eye can see. Bureaucrats want to tax everything within their reach. It's what a friend calls "The HOA Mentality".

The best thing to do is find out all of the laws and rules before you buy any property.

 

[wb8vyn]

I'm so thankful that my parents went thru a "homestead "ing phase when I was a teenager. In my particular state, local zoning and DNR regulations, then and now, are so overreaching that there is no way in he-- i would ever own property here. They moved to Arkansas after the DNR declared 3/4 of their 20 acres "wetlands." Less interference there from govt, but i knew that "owning" property anywhere would be more aggravating than it's worth. I need to be able to move when the long hand of TPTB loom in my direction. My best hope is to die somewhere "out there" and become one with the land they think they control.

I had to comment.
Right this minute i am sitting here waiting a few minutes for my vehicle to warm up.
Heading for the Tax collectors office.
Twice a year now I have to pay taxes on property that I bought and paid for in full over 50 years ago.
No water or sewer, dirt road, no "cable" No phone line. You get the picture.
When I bought this place my taxes were $348.00 per year.
Taxes listed were school, road, library, fire. a few others.
Anyway, as years went by due to inflation tax bill got higher and higher,
Later still the tax bill got so high that who ever decides such thing decided to split the bill into summer and winter taxes.
Included with my winter tax bill this years was a reminder that if I failed to pay taxes on time, ownership of MY property would be sold by the state.
In effect I pay rent to the state twice a year. IF I fail to pay rent (taxes), I will be removed (evicted).
As a reward for paying my "rent" on time, I get to keep my lawn mowed, trees trimmed , buildings maintained and painted according to rulings and mandates.
Oh-- I also get junk mail once a week and four times a year, an inspection by the county and state inspector to determine if I'm keeping to the ordnances and have NOT made any "REAL" improvements which would increase my tax liability.
Off I go - Yearly Rent is due in 4 days, Over $1000.00 twice a year.
Hummmm, I think it's against the law for me to die here. Have to check the rule on that one. DNR has jurisdiction. May not be allowed. I think I'll just hide somewhere with a sign around my neck saying "take that!".

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

I've seen some restrictions in NV that you could only camp/park/live on "your" bare land something like 3 months a year. I wondered if I bought 4 adjoining parcels (or 4 of us bought 1 each) and put them each in a different name on the deed (kids, willing friends, dead active voters, etc). Then you just have to each move 1 time every 3 months onto the adjoining property. Think it'd work ?

 

[rruff]

It might work until someone notices what you are doing and complains... and then a new law gets made prohibiting it!

Way simpler to just park on BLM; far enough in the boonies so no one cares.

 

[user 423]

Twice a year now I have to pay taxes on property that I bought and paid for in full over 50 years ago.
When I bought this place my taxes were $348.00 per year.

Off I go - Yearly Rent is due in 4 days, Over $1000.00 twice a year.

How about inflation? $1 in 1971 is the same as $6.88 now.

$348 in 1971 is equal to $2397 now. So actually you're paying a little less.

Depending on location, your property is probably worth at least 6.88 times what you paid for it in 1971.

 

[RonDean]

How about inflation? $1 in 1971 is the same as $6.88 now.

$348 in 1971 is equal to $2397 now. So actually you're paying a little less.

Depending on location, your property is probably worth at least 6.88 times what you paid for it in 1971.

A few posts back, someone commented about my experience of having a neighbor complain. Having someone move into a separate entrance is far different than having a pig farm - or any other condition that would have actually impacted my neighbors. I would have had no problem with zoning against pig farms, nightclubs, speedways, or anything else that actually impacted my neighbor's quality of life. Did I ask my neighbor(s) first? Actually, I did ask my immediate neighbors. I later suspected the complaint came from a couple that lived a couple of blocks away.
NO. I think this was just another case of anal thinking or rule enforcement that has no connection to logic or empathy. No matter how difficult life is, there are always some people that will make it worse.

 

[wb8vyn]

How about inflation? $1 in 1971 is the same as $6.88 now.

$348 in 1971 is equal to $2397 now. So actually you're paying a little less.

Depending on location, your property is probably worth at least 6.88 times what you paid for it in 1971.

The "assessed value has increased. The actual value depends on market in the area.
My next door neighbor about 1/2 mile south has a similar property to mine. Nearly the same assessed value. Due to divorce he had to sell at current market value. Relator put his place on the market. 3 months with no bites, price was dropped little by little over the next year with no takers until the court ordered him to sell at 1/2 current market value. He had to pay his ex-wife 1/2 of that amount.
I loaned him the cash to pay her off. He is on fixed income now, nearing 75 years old. He still lives there and he pays me back with some cash and some barter. There is no paper contract of any sort. So no paper trail if something happens to either of us there is no connection, only his and my handshake. He is my neighbor I am his. His kids grew up around mine, Our wives shopped together, we went to school functions at the same places and times, same church and so on.
The market for housing all over the country seems to be in a deep valley right now but government keeps on spending money we don't have. Some of us are better off than others. The top 1 percent are not effected. Quality of life only effects the rest of us.
These are real issues and that's why the blossom in nomad living is necessary for more and more people. The tax man does not care nor does the government.