CA: Officials warn fecal matter from embattled commune could flood nearby bay

Source: SFGate

“A secluded commune on the North Coast, known locally as ‘Yee Haw,’ has been labeled an ‘urgent health hazard’ by Humboldt County officials after inspectors found alarming sewage issues on the property. Owned by Charles Garth, the property of Yee Haw in Trinidad, California, has housed hundreds of people over the last four decades in homes made of scavenged materials and renovated buses. Residents celebrate Yee Haw as a hub of community and environmental stewardship, and Garth’s supporters paint him as a charitable figure who offers housing amid a statewide crisis. Critics, including some local officials, see him as a negligent landlord whose lack of oversight jeopardizes Yee Haw residents as well as the surrounding community and the environment. In September, Humboldt’s Planning and Building Department gave an overview of nearly 30 years of enforcement actions against Yee Haw.” (11/13/24)

https://www.sfgate.com/northcoast/article/humboldt-county-commune-urgent-health-hazard-19906862.php