Have you been reading about the New Hampshire Homesteader Cabin?

[Moxie 15]

As a New Hampsherite I am not surprised by this nor is it rare. In the town where I live there is a group of what the locals call "Free Staters'.
NH has no sales or income tax so if you do not own land you pay no state tax ( you will find many renters that will argue that they pay tax in their rent, but they are not correct, they pay more in their rent so the land lord can cover the tax, but it is rent, not tax.)
So if you can find someone to let you live on their land without rent you live tax free. No laws broken.

Next is the ambiguity and imprecise laws in this state. ( I just went through this in a three month argument with the Town Clerk.)
So is it illegal to have an outhouse instead of a sewer system? YES! But no in certain cases. and so on and so forth. Enforcement of laws is another hit and miss as state and towns will disagree who should enforce some laws.

Now the FUN PART

The state motto is "Live Free or Die"
Laws have been overturned because of this ie the motorcycle helmet law, and laws have failed because of it ie mandatory seat belt laws. We are the only state on the eastern seaboard without a universal mandatory seat belt law.

My take is, if that hermit can get a clever lawyer, he is living free, like the motto, has a verbal with former owner and the new owner did not do enough due diligence, so the hermit fella has every right to be there.

 

[Stan777]

"sewerage issues"? We don't care where the boaters and fishermen relieve themselves or all the critters on the river bank but one old guy in the woods? It would have been cheaper to give him a porta-potty service than what the court costs, jail time, etc is going to cost.

Iv'e been thinking about this lately. I wonder why all the wild animals on my land are not subjected to all this. Are we free men or subjects of the state?

 

[Jstpssng]

As a New Hampsherite I am not surprised by this nor is it rare. In the town where I live there is a group of what the locals call "Free Staters'.
NH has no sales or income tax so if you do not own land you pay no state tax ( you will find many renters that will argue that they pay tax in their rent, but they are not correct, they pay more in their rent so the land lord can cover the tax, but it is rent, not tax.)
So if you can find someone to let you live on their land without rent you live tax free. No laws broken.

Next is the ambiguity and imprecise laws in this state. ( I just went through this in a three month argument with the Town Clerk.)
So is it illegal to have an outhouse instead of a sewer system? YES! But no in certain cases. and so on and so forth. Enforcement of laws is another hit and miss as state and towns will disagree who should enforce some laws.

Now the FUN PART

The state motto is "Live Free or Die"
Laws have been overturned because of this ie the motorcycle helmet law, and laws have failed because of it ie mandatory seat belt laws. We are the only state on the eastern seaboard without a universal mandatory seat belt law.

My take is, if that hermit can get a clever lawyer, he is living free, like the motto, has a verbal with former owner and the new owner did not do enough due diligence, so the hermit fella has every right to be there.

The owner has been trying to address this for at least 6 years, so I don't know how you can say that he wasn't doing his due diligence.
Here's a link to the court order which placed Mr Lidstone in jail; https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.tow...-5f49-bcb4-a39db49492d8/610080b77ecba.pdf.pdf

Please note that his animals are being cared for at Mr Gile's expense as per the court order. Also, removal of the non-conforming structures are the responsibility of the landowner as well as mitigating the environmental damages. Any previous agreement which they may have had ended when Mr Giles asked or told him to leave.

 

[coobie]

30yrs rent free is a pretty good run...

If that is FACT..

 

[Solitary Man]

Iv'e been thinking about this lately. I wonder why all the wild animals on my land are not subjected to all this. Are we free men or subjects of the state?

For the same reasons why the Government is not subject to the American with Disabilities Act as you and I are. Ask any small business that has been nailed by ADA requirements for public access, while State, Local, and Federal buildings are not.

 

[Moxie 15]

The owner has been trying to address this for at least 6 years, so I don't know how you can say that he wasn't doing his due diligence.

First, I did not say the new owner did not do enough due diligence, i said a clever lawyer would say that.
Second, due diligence is due before one takes ownership, not afterwards.

 

[Pixguy]

For the same reasons why the Government is not subject to the American with Disabilities Act as you and I are. Ask any small business that has been nailed by ADA requirements for public access, while State, Local, and Federal buildings are not.

It's do as I say and not as I do for gubmint dontcha know. There are municipalities and state offices that never opened to the public in some states during Covid. Try doing that as a small busines.

IMO, he squatted and went unnoticed by the landowner but his time is up. Be happy you got away with it for as long as you did but now pay your own way.

I'm curious if he collected SS during these years...

 

[Pixguy]

Latest

'River Dave' grateful for help after fire destroyed cabin at center of dispute

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^
I read that. It also told more about his building... solar lights et al. Until seeing the picture I didn’t realize how big the structure was. There is no road so it must have been fun bringing all of that lumber up the river.

He couldn’t have been taking the wood from the land, otherwise that would make him a thief as well as a squatter.

 

[drssg]

This story kind of reminds me of the rare scenario where a homeless or abused dog somehow makes it into a high-publicity new story. It will receive an outpouring of support and offers to take it in. For the other animals that don't make it into the news, they are put down by the 1000s every single day, and no one cares enough to stop it.

Most anti-social homeless people wouldn't make a national news story. Hopefully, things will work out well for him.