HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The city of Huntsville has filed a lawsuit seeking to evict a military veteran from his home because they deem his “off-the-grid” lifestyle to be “unsafe.”
According to a report by WAFF, Tyler Truitt currently lives inside the city limits of Huntsville, but is not connected to city utilities. City officials have told him they consider his residence a “trailer” and say he must be connected to city hookups, and they are so adamant about it they have decided to come after him in court.
“They came and they condemned our house and told us if we stayed here we’d be arrested for trespassing on our own property, and the reason why is (because) they said it was unsafe living conditions because we don’t have city utilities hooked up,” Truitt told the local TV station.
Truitt lives on two acres of property and sustains himself and his girlfriend entirely off of his land.
“We live out here off the grid, 100 percent self-sustaining,” he explained. “So I basically made all my utilities. I have my solar panels, I have my rainwater collection and stuff.”
In spite of the city’s threats, Truitt says he’s not going anywhere unless they decide to send the police to his property and haul him off to jail.
“You have to stand up for what you believe in,” he said. “They could come out here today if they wanted to and take us to jail for trespassing, if that’s what they want to call it… that’d be fine with me. I’ll still come back the next day and the next day and the next day because it’s my home and because I live here. Where else am I supposed to go really?”
Truitt says all he is asking is for the opportunity to enjoy the freedoms he fought to protect.
“I 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,” he explained. “Give people the most liberty and personal liberty you can afford to give them without infringing on other people’s rights. I just don’t see how we’re hurting anyone by being here.”
Huntsville officials have ignored local media’s requests for comment.
UPDATE: Huntsville Responds: Living off-the-grid in the city limits is an unsafe ‘alternative lifestyle’
(h/t WAFF)
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— Cliff Sims (@Cliff_Sims) June 9, 2015
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