Going from gid to off grid

We live in a small 1100 sq ft home in downtown Victorville. We are a family of 6 that got in by putting down a large sum of money to a rent to own company.... They don't really care about credit checks they want you in.. In two years you have the option to buy... So from April 2011  we have been paying 800 a month for a 3 bed 1 bath and 6 people. This property and home is only worth 40k but we have  the option to buy in two years. We have to find our own financing or the current owner will carry for a purchase price of $160,000 plus interest after 2 years of renting. We had plans to fix it up and set roots... Then I saw container homes and it spun from there .then,  I saw off grid living and I was determined to get this rent / power bill and reduce my carbon footprint in the world  " CRAZY " Comes to mind for not thinking of doing this sooner. I have been unemployed and looking for work like every other American. I found gainful employment within the last week by the grace of god and we want to live off grid... First step is to find a vehicle to live in while we make this transition...

A 40 ft school bus modified to how we see fit to make the transition and will do nicely... we are going to tackle this project head on and outfit it also with solar power and wind to allow to live off the grid while being mobile. Once completed we will simply turn in our notice and leave... there are rv parks that will accept us for $300 a month for full hookups and plenty of frends that will accept us while we get our property paid for and prepped to live on. 

The goal is to buy the property and live in it while we build our home. Save the 800 dollar a month rent monty the 130 dollar electric bill and the 50 dollar gas bill a 60 dollar water bill a 10 dollar sewer tax fee a 40 dollar a month trash bill.

almost 1500 dollars a month back into our pocket to be used how we see fit.

I want to have a bus bceause not to long ago my family and me were all living in a crappy hotel "homeless" we were cooking out off a hotplate and using the really creepy laundrymat... it was hard but we managed. I want to have a small home on wheels so nobody can take that away from us and my family will always have a roof over our head as long as I can provide for our family we are blessed

Why a school bus well for the anwser to that question >> CLICK HERE

The fundimental question is "What do you consider quality of life?" I invite you to (Youtube "Earthships") Me and my wife are going to document our process of attempting to a re - locate a desert city out in the middle of Southern California in San Bernardino County. This is where we are going to see about haveing the ablility to have our Container Home >> CLICK HERE

We live in America and have so many restrictions on GREEN BUILDING and becuase you use materials not used by the standard and you dont intend on hooking up to any utilities you basically get the run around for 2 plus years.... When I was little I heard the expression "red tape" and I thought it was like masking tape that was red and why would people "have to go through red tape?"

I would move to a "Pocket of Freedom" with very little or no building restrictions but I really don't want to leave California and unless we are going to change our state of residence then we are fine to stay here.

We will document the process and show the hoops we have to go through... to get this done and see this through. I want to add that we are used to and have lived in the desert in rual areas too (always hooked up to a grid). We want to have our chickens and goats and live off grid but provide a sustainable living for our children... As I write this blog I have some idea of building construction I am a DIY person and have no problem attempting to do it all on my own.

The thing I do is spend late wee hours of the morning looking at projects that others do take notes and get ideas and the attempt to put my own spin on it.

I look forward to the future. Me and my family have a sense of hope and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I want to add that you if you have a wife that is from the county and had experience and donsent mind roughing it then you are in luck... And kids they look at it as one big adventure.

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Rain Water Collection and Filtering

There is much talk these days about all the shortages and crises we are facing, both now and in the immediate future. On this list of coming calamities, there is one that is definitely not getting the kind of publicity it merits, and that is the comming water shortage.

The collective aspect of the problem is not for us to solve, but the individual part is going to test our initiative. From a personal perspective, one of the smartest things anyone can do to increase your access to adequate water supplies is to set up a rain capture system (While this is a pdf dealing with TEXAS you can still adapt it to your application. that will allow you to harvest the water that falls from the sky for your own use. Of course, when you begin to collect rainwater using the basic, time-tested design of gutter to spout to rain barrel to storage, it will be necessary in most cases to treat the water by filtering it before you can use it.
Gutter Screens

The first location where you will want to consider filtering your water is at the point where collection actually begins, where it runs off of the roof and into a gutter. Micromesh gutter screens are the product that is needed to perform this duty, as they will act to prevent any larger contaminants or debris from being washed into your gutter. Gutters of course have a tendency to become clogged and dirty, and gutter screens are your first line of defense against this unpleasant reality.
One highly recommended type of gutter screen is the Gutterglove, which has an impenetrable micro-screen made from surgical grade stainless steel and an anodized aluminum mounting system that will hold up through tumultuous storms and never rust from contact with other types of metal. You need something tough enough to catch and hold anything that might be washed in by a storm like broken pieces of tree limb, and the Gutterglove has received rave reviews for its unmatched strength. Leaf Solution is another micromesh gutter screen that uses surgical-grade stainless steel and aluminum, and like all the better gutter screens, it is self-cleaning, thereby eliminating the need to crawl up on the roof to clean it manually after every serious rainfall.

Downspout Filters

Downspout filters are usually located at the conjunction of gutter and downspout, although they sometimes can be installed closer to the spout outlet. These types of filters will catch smaller debris and particulates that may manage to get through the gutter screen – or are certain to get through if you elect not to use a gutter screen. Generally, downspout filters will catch anything that is an eighth of an inch across or larger, although this obviously varies, and naturally it is in your interests to find a filter that gets the smallest particulates possible.
The Aquabarrel Downspout Filter installs in-line on your downspout filter instead of at the gutter-spout intersection, which means it can be easily reached and cleaned. The removable filter basket is made from aluminum so its screens will never be ruptured, and the filter is designed to fit snugly and tightly so everything always stays in place. Quattro offers two good options – its regular Quattro Downspout Filter or the more sophisticated Twist Downspout Filter. These filters feature internal sieves for catching fine contaminants and are designed to fit either square or round gutters equally well. The Twist filter is self-cleaning, with a one-inch side flow outlet, and is great for use in summer or in winter when snow can become mixed in with rain. Both of these options come in different colors for those who have some aesthetic preferences for their rain collection system.
First Flush Diverters

One of the most important parts of your filtering system should be your first flush filter. When it first begins raining, any contaminants that have collected on your roof such as animal droppings, dirt particles covered with pesticides, or soot will be washed into your gutter to be carried along to your collection point. A first flush diverter is cleverly designed to divert the first water that enters the collection system so it will be prevented from reaching your rain barrel.
The Rain Harvesting First Flush Diverter uses a ball and seat system to divert and release the first water it captures, sealing itself afterwards so the collection process can commence. This diverter is ingeniously designed and accomplishes its task with little fuss. Another excellent product is the Fiskers 5962 Rain Barrel Diverter Kit, which has a removable filter and an improved capture system that is built to withstand the challenge of even the heaviest rainfall.
Potable Water Filtering Systems

If you want to actually drink rainwater, you face a filtering challenge greater than what a normal water filter is built to handle. Therefore, you need a filtering set-up that is ready to handle the heavier responsibility of making rainwater drinkable.
The Katadyn Drip Water Purification System might be considered the state-of-the-art option here, since it is the system that is used all over the world by relief agencies operating in parts of the world where contaminated drinking water is a huge health problem. This system can eliminate bacteria, viruses, and spores that are dangerous to human health and deliver an end product that is completely safe to drink. The Aqua Rain Water Purifier is another good system that relies on a ceramic filter to eliminate bacterial contaminants and a silvered carbon bed that absorbs pesticides and various organic chemicals. Ultraviolet light purifiers are a relatively new development that harness electromagnetic wavelengths to effectively kill microbial invaders; if you were to decide after investigation to go with this method of purification, the Atlantic Ultraviolet Corporation has high-quality ultraviolet filters available that come in different sizes, depending on how much water you will need to purify on a daily basis.
While investing in a good water filter can certainly allow you to convert rain water into something that can be safely consumed, there is a do-it-yourself option that can do the job just as well – sand. Not many realize it, but sand has amazing abilities to clean and purify water. What you will need are collection barrels that can be divided into three parts: a top part where the water enters, a middle part containing perhaps three or four feet of sand, and a collection area below where the water can seep through and be collected. The one limitation with a sand-based system is that it works slowly, so it may not be a good choice if you need a lot of drinking water quickly. But if your concern is having water that is clean and safe to drink, a sand filter system is really without peer.
Rain Water and You
Ultimately, what kind of filtration system you set up to clean and purify the rain water you collect will depend on how much time and money you are willing to invest, what you plan to use the water for, and how clean you would prefer it to be. Whether used for drinking, irrigating, bathing, or cleaning, however, there is no doubt that using properly filtered rain water is an excellent way to cut down on water bills, and to help yourself become more self-sufficient in anticipation of the water shortages that could be coming at any time

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GETTING A EVICTION!

October 2011

We love America and I must say that if you are homeless or have been in the past my heart goes out to you.
I will make this short and sweet.. My mom rented from this scumbag woman that offered a 3 bed 2 bath home 5 years ago 2 years go by and paying 1800 a month the woman who received around 40,000 down with a rent to own option decided to refinance on the house my mom was in and they took all equity out. Not to mention my mom was getting evicted due to the person who owned the house defaulted on the payments.  My mom takes her to court and through the crazy process of over the years manages to win the judgement for the home and transfer of title. We filed and got the title to the home through the courts. We have all utilities in my mothers name and we have been paying for the property taxes for the last three years. Chase Bank wants the house I guess they don't check county records to see the person that owed the house lost it so they tried evicting my mom.

(On a side note I learned if you have been paying the property taxes for 5 years you pretty much own the property outright)

During this time my mom has received letters about how this property is up for auction and that its time to relocate. THE SCARE TACTICS TO GET  TO GET YOU OUT OF YOUR HOME IS CRIMINAL! Don't believe S*** until you get official court documents from a process server. No matter how may "official looking letters" you get in the mail.  My mom never folded she dug in and s determined to see this through at 77.

A man with a camera would come by every Monday snap a couple of pictures and drive off. This went on for 2 years Then we find out that Chase Bank sold the note (not the title) to the house to U.S Bank
U.S Bank is going off the mis information on the note so they see that the previous owner is living still at the address so they send out a official server for the eviction process and low and behold we went to court and have 2 more hearings before we get some resolution.

We have more in our favor then the Banks.. One hell of a lawyer ,let me tell you my mom is on a fixed income and we have had to liquidate some items.... (cars and belongings).  In the end we will get a property that before the real estate crash was worth half a million.

In the end we will overcome and then banks can track down this lady and attempt to get what ever they can out of her.

I told my mom that she should tell the lawyer to type a letter that our name is recorded in the county and we got the judgement for ownership we have the tile in our name and we are paying all property taxes for the last three years... so send out a letter to all parties interested in our property saying we own it back off or we will sue for harassment!

I will update this posting with the upcoming events, There is two hearings coming one up at the end of Oct and the other the first of Nov. It's all comming to a end...

With hunderds and thousands of homes going into forclosure do they really have the time to invest in a complex property like my moms... they got easier targets to go after.

UPDATE NOV 1 20ll

So the evection has a stay. Final cort date at the end of November... our lawyers are going to have a show down with CHASE and US BANK and whoever is named in this..

What we have going for us:

• Documented proof that we recevied a judgement signed by a Judge recorded in the county and that we live in and shows the property transfered into my mothers name
• Documented proof and recorded with the county of transfer of title
• A grand deed on file with the county
• Propert taxes that have been paid on and are current with the county for the last three years

WTF else do we need???

What else does this damn bank gonna pull to attemp to kick out my mother...

What the banks got....... a note ....  Which by the way I found out Chase Bank sold the note to US Bank so US Bank tried the evection process. LOL I guess Chase couldent do anything with the property so they figured they would sell it to the next sucker that came along. Appearently someone forgot to tell CHASE AND US BANK THAT THEIR PROPERTY IS NOT THEIRS ANYMORE...
We will see what happens at the end of the month


UPDATE JULY 20, 2012

Just got kicked out to see a 78 year old woman sitting in her car outside her home that she has decided that she is basically going to die in and then kicked out by a Sheriffs eviction is unreal...

It's hard to put into words the emotions and upset you experience when you go through something like that. You try to wrap your mind around it but you simply cannot. Its amazing to me our justice system! My mom has been fighting a process with the banks and at one time she actually owned the property and then all this happened... unreal! absoultly unreal! We had people from her "church" come over and man thoes volunteers were there all over the place! It was great to see that she had so much support.

Un believeable... I lost ... we lost alot of things but its only monitary nothing is forever and you can always gain back all that you loose thats the good thing about rebuilding...

So my mom is with me until Monday.... then she is going off to say with another friend of hers...
I continue to help her any way I can.... after all she is mom.

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