Setting up a tent in someone's backyard

[mwanafalsafa]

A good alternative to renting a room or getting an apartment? possibly much cheaper rent?

Have you guys heard of anyone doing this in the Honolulu suburbs?

[helen]

I think a tent in a backyard during a weekend night you can give the reason of "kids camping out" and no one is going to dispute that. Having a tent longer than 2 weeks neighbors are going to notice that.

[tutusue]

...not to mention the, ummm, sanitation issue! :rolleyes:

[Amati]

A good alternative to renting a room or getting an apartment? possibly much cheaper rent? Have you guys heard of anyone doing this in the Honolulu suburbs?
Just wondering, is that something that could be done on Long Island?

[mwanafalsafa]

I might be able to find someone to let me do that. It might even be easier because there are more suburban houses with big back yards.

But I know it's not technically legal. But it seems like you might be able to get away with it if you had a laid back homeowner with a reasonably big yard and laid back neighbors.

[kani-lehua]

i actually knew of someone that popped a tent in her friend's yard. the woman paid some kind of nominal fee to use the bathroom and no cooking was allowed.

in kailua, yes, we have some sizable back yards. in kapolei, no. also, many of the newer subdivisions have association rules.

what about a teepee (spelling)? more aesthetically pleasing :p

[turtlegirl]

I'm pretty sure you won't get away with this for long in town (Honolulu, Waikiki, etc.) Maybe on the North Shore?

[Amati]

So, if it is OK to live in tents in yards, then why don't the homeless people living in tents who are being evicted from the beach just pool their money and rent one house with a large yard, and put up 20 or 30 tents in the yard?

I don't think so.

My point being, if living in a tent in the yard is allowed, where is the line drawn? How many tents would be "too many"?

[mwanafalsafa]

I'm not interested in whether or not it's 'allowed', haha. Only if one could get away with it.

Though I do think the laws preventing people from living in tents on private property with the permission of the owner are somewhat silly.

[LikaNui]

I'm not interested in whether or not it's 'allowed', haha. Only if one could get away with it. I hope you're kidding, as that's the worst kind of attitude to bring to Hawai`i.
Seriously.

[Menehune Man]

I do a lot of hiking and have happened upon a few different "homesteads" up in the hills. Even met and spoke with one fellow way up Wa'ahila Ridge (Above Saint Louis Heights). The logistics are incredibly difficult. Like packing in all food/water, bringing out trash and 'stuff'. Though restrooms are a distance away, they are the nearest things of civilization for him. There are others out there around the islands too. Totally off the grid and completely illigal.

I just thought of another above the ritzy Diamond Head homes area.

I'm a live and let live kinda guy.
If they're not bothering anyone and willing to put up with the varied hardships of that lifestyle, so what if they don't pay the high cost to upkeep the lifestyles that others are willing too?

Then again, I've lived in a VW Van and various boats previously.
I would eagerly again if I wasn't married! :D

[Menehune Man]

Link to another thread concerning Yurts in Hawaii.
I know they can pass permitting in at least parts of the Big Island,
but don't know about overall acceptance. Slight thread drift.
Yurts (http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=15402&highlight=Yurts)

[buzz1941]

Technically, even the awnings people put up in their driveways to shade their cars are supposed to be taken down every night.

[sophielynette]

I've seen advertisements on Craigslist for this, although I can't remember what part of town they were in. Growing up we had a family living in a tent in our backyard, although this was Ohio, and our yard was fenced with no immediate neighbors.

[mwanafalsafa]

I hope you're kidding, as that's the worst kind of attitude to bring to Hawai`i.
Seriously.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about stealing candy from babies here.

In certain instances the laws can be unjust, doing more harm than good to society. It is only in the instance of such ridiculous laws that I would consider doing something 'disallowed'.

[mwanafalsafa]

Link to another thread concerning Yurts in Hawaii.
I know they can pass permitting in at least parts of the Big Island,
but don't know about overall acceptance. Slight thread drift.
Yurts (http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=15402&highlight=Yurts)

Yurts do look pretty sweet.

But still mucho expensive compared to a tent.

There must be a better way! hehe

[turtlegirl]

Hmmmmmwanafalsafa, I know this sounds like a good idea, right now, from way far away New York, but the reality of it is not so nice.

Here's (http://www.flickr.com/photos/punanipower/239047830/) some photos and info about tent living on the westside.
Quote - 'approximately 3,400 (http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=8551) people live in tent cities that stretch for miles along the arid, brush-fire ridden coast of west oahu. it's not the side of hawaii you see in brochures, that's for sure.'

I dont want to discourage you, cuz saving money is always cool, but this isnt the best way to do it. Tent life is a problem in Hawaii, not a cheap vacation rental. And I don't know what kinda jerk would actually rent you some yard space with house priviliges. That's a problem too!

[kani-lehua]

ditto to turtlegirl's post.

tent cities will be coming down and the homeless will be evicted again from various beaches. the city has spent millions of dollars to aid these people and another shelter is opening soon: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080802/NEWS01/808020331/-1/LOCALNEWSFRONT

[MyopicJoe]

HT'ers have made a good point about the small size of home properties in Hawaii suburbs (there's just not enough land for people to spread out). Your neighbor's window can be 6' from your own. Neighbors will notice. Whether they cause trouble is situational.

I knew this eccentric guy who was offered very cheap tickets to Japan at the last minute. Without a plan of where he'd live, he hopped on the plane. He chatted up the street artists and shacked up with them. I don't know how long he stayed in Japan, but it wasn't very long. He's also very skinny. He can go for days eating nothing and just drinking Mountain Dew.

That was Japan. I don't know anything about the street artist culture in Hawaii. I assume you'd need something to offer them, to earn your keep.

[mwanafalsafa]

ahh well. I just see a tent as a legit form of long term housing in a tropical environment, if done right (for example with kitchen and washing facilities nearby like any legit campground would have). I mean why not have a camp ground where it's legal to live long term. A tent can be a home! if you're happy with it.

Oh well, now I'm getting theoretical... maybe even a little entrepreneurial... hehe

[kani-lehua]

one tent can be a home if your landlord/state allowed it. however, the landlord, neighbors and state wouldn't be so happy to see several of them popping up in the backyard. well, then again, you could say that you're having a boy scout jamboree or a tent convention :p

tropical weather is unpredictable. you might recall that a couple of years ago we had biblical rainfall with flooding. a tent would not survive such circumstances. you'd need to have a canoe as well. then, i guess, your landlord could charge you docking/slip fees in addition to your rent? :eek:

[Leo Lakio]

In certain instances the laws can be unjust, doing more harm than good to society. It is only in the instance of such ridiculous laws that I would consider doing something 'disallowed'.Oh yeah - there are a LOT of laws, rules and regulations that, from our personal perspectives, are "ridiculous." And, while I am an advocate of civil disobedience in issues of great importance, in our society we generally don't get to pick and choose which laws we want to obey and which we want to disobey.

Find ways to make changes in unjust laws and in a system that creates them - anarchy for the sake of personal convenience isn't the answer.