Koda Grand

Accidentally hit the back button on my mouse so I lost what I had typed...

Long story short: I am glad you like it there. I wish more states had opportunities for Veterans. I do think the more rural lifestyle would be good for Combat Veterans, especially with things like PTSD/TBI.

My SO is an Army Combat Veteran (Cavalry Scout). He spent a long time in Iraq when things were real busy there. He went through a lot and did not stay on past the 4 year tour so he obviously does not receive pension as he did not retire through the military. He still needs to work a full time job to make money, especially since we have a little one together.

I do wonder though if there are worries of over-saturated markets? With farms growing each year, is it a concern? Or has there been such a lack of farming that this is encouraging locals to eat local?

I had actually never known that Maine had so many resources and opportunities for Veterans. Let alone that so many Veterans live there. I was actually really pleased with everything that I was reading, and even impressed! Until I got to the project called "Columbia Street Project"... I do not wish to derail the thread here or even ruffle feathers... but personally, I was a bit disheartened to see that aid made for Veterans is also being used for "reentering prisoners". I think about what all the men and women have done and even sacrificed... then I think of someone who did bad, got punished (which now costs tax payers), and now they get job and housing assistance like a Veteran would? I'm at a loss for what the convicted criminal has done for anyone? And honestly... I don't really care about what he COULD do for others now that he/she is out. Everyone makes choices in life. For every person that chose to commit crime to "make it", there is a Veteran who did the exact same thing when they chose to enlist. I have known plenty of Veterans who literally joined because they had nothing else in their lives. No home, no job, bad family situations... so I don't accept the answer of someone breaking the law because they "needed money", etc. Veterans don't get treated well. Why should people found guilty of crimes get assistance meant for Veterans? In my mind, this means money people donate could also go to these reentering prisoners? I truly hope no Veterans ever get passed up or even lose out on a CENT of assistance because an ex-inmate was getting job training or a house instead...

Separately, I am impressed by what you are personally doing. Trying to help each other and fellow Veterans. I think it's a great thing.

I'd also like to add that I also feel that adding things like traditional electric and water would make things a LOT harder. But we were also talking about offgrid. Using things like composting toilets. There's different ways to get power and water. And things just keep progressing as far as I'm concerned for alternative ways to live.

Yes, I do realize that there are different negatives. Maybe the local assessor gets p*ssed upon noticing each smaller building makes up a dwelling. Also, I have no idea how much a building permit costs. I've never lived in a house. My parents aren't in my life and never taught me anything about home ownership. The only thing I know about mortgages is all the bad things I've heard people say as well as some reading and looking online at mortgage calculators... it doesn't sound appealing to me to buy.. say a $130,000 house on a mortgage, pay the bank 20% and still owe $104,000 of which you pay almost that same amount back in interest... Now I do realize that you can make extra payments, etc. But if we pretend like you follow the 30 year mortgage... it's ridiculous to me. It sounds like something that should be illegal. And maybe it's easier to get a house now? I don't know. I've had older people complain at me about mortgage talk saying how much cheaper rates are today... But anyways... It's not just about saving money on the building permit. There's taxes to consider. There's all the interest saved from not borrowing money. Yes, I can see added cost in building over time with the extra doors, siding, roofing, etc. But I'm pretty sure it would still come out cheaper than what someone would pay the bank in interest. There's also the positive of only building as there is money for it instead of choosing debt. Seeing as we are in Texas, the winter really isn't my worry... it can't even kill off the bugs here. IF it snowed... well, I grew up in Chicago. I've been snowed in plenty. I feel I'd survive it hahaha I do wonder though... since cooling will be the main concern for spaces used... would it not force a unit to stay on often? Having to keep a temperature in a small room? I guess I'm thinking of smaller spaces that get heat, they can get really hot and not have enough room for circulation. Would the cooling unit potentially always be pumping when it's 90-100+degrees outside? I suppose that would be where you could use building techniques and things like lighter colored roofing and tree shade to help. But those things only go so far when it's super hot outside. I do see the savings though in not having to cool/heat all living spaces all day. I love the idea of starting the kitchen outdoors. Just to keep that extra heat outside. I'm sure there would be times that it would be aggravating having separate rooms... but I do know exercise and movement is good for you. Hardly walking and living sedentary can kill. I did think about if we are there indefinitely... as in retirement age. I thought it could be a huge problem but then realized... if we're so feeble that we can't walk feet to get somewhere... then we really need to move into some old folk's friendly living place where everything is setup like an efficiency apartment close together hahaha but I'm pretty sure that's a long ways from now! We also like being outside. Living in an apartment, we don't really get to. So we would prefer to be spending more of our time outdoors which now removes even MORE time spent inside.

@Daniel Schmidt I have actually seen that link before. About a year ago I had asked on a different forum about the company and what they build and I got responses like the following:
"One thing that jumps out immediately. In order to cut costs and make them cheap, they installed the roof sheeting in the wrong direction. Will eventually lead to leaks."
"I can't see that it would be cheaper and quicker than conventional studs and trusses. Here they would condensate with out special insulation that is expensive. "Cheap" for a shell, maybe, but making it livable, not so much, odd angles, high ceiling to heat. Not for me...."
Pretty much what was said was the company's way of building was questioned as well as people insisting it'd be cheaper to build other ways.

Although I also love the idea of that, I think some places consider that any attachment at all combines the square feet? Although I suppose it's possible that some counties have no building codes about this? Like I said, I do know it all comes down to the specific location's rules, I just don't know exactly where that will be yet. Also to be clear, although I think this idea is really interesting, I'm not saying this is what we are trying to do. If anything I'd say we are at the very beginning, just looking into other options and other ways of life and just the love of learning really.

I know I would have to look up the actual county regulations for where we would be wanting to live... (it would be somewhere in central/East Texas though) but I was wondering if we could talk more in general about housing that consists of multiple smaller structures? I'm not sure if I should call it compound/campus type living? I'm referring to one small structure being a bedroom, another small structure being bathrooms, maybe another as general use like living/dining room, etc. My main thought behind it was how people are trying to build one tiny house/other alternative housing to live in that has low enough square footage or some other work around to not have to deal with certain taxes or having to get permits... but couldn't you make several smaller buildings that each have different purposes? That way you can even add and finish them as you go along. If you built each building under.. say 300 or even 250 square feet.. could you be legal? I know most of this really comes down to your local area's rules and requirements. I know some places require building a house to have a minimum amount of square feet. But would it really be considered a "house" if it was separate little structures?