Neighbors can be a great asset. Friendly and helpful ones can make life easier and more enjoyable. For a homesteader, having neighbors who share an interest in self-sufficiency can be incredibly beneficial. You can collaborate on projects, share the cost of expensive equipment, or specialize in different areas to cover all your needs.
However, neighbors can also be a challenge—or even a threat. Antisocial behavior is bad enough, but the worst scenario is having neighbors who compromise your preparedness efforts or pose a direct danger in an emergency.
The upside is that problematic neighbors often show warning signs early on, allowing you to prepare for potential issues before they escalate. Here are some indicators that a neighbor could pose a risk.
Messy Yard
Not everyone has the time or budget to maintain a pristine front yard, but there’s a difference between a yard that needs a bit of tidying up and one that’s completely chaotic. If your neighbor’s yard is cluttered with trash, old furniture, and piles of dog waste, it could be a sign of a disorganized lifestyle.
Such disorganization can be concerning. As a homesteader, preparedness is key to handling crises, and a neighbor who struggles with day-to-day tasks may struggle even more in an emergency. If they can’t manage to keep their property in order, they might not be able to handle a crisis—and could end up turning to you for help.
Substance Abuse
If your neighbor’s trash is filled with beer cans or whiskey bottles, that’s a concerning sign. Like a messy yard, it points to a disorganized lifestyle that may leave them ill-equipped to handle emergencies. Even more troubling is the potential for addiction.
In a crisis, someone dependent on alcohol might become desperate if they can’t access their usual supply—leading them to knock on your door, seeking whatever they can find.
Having a neighbor with a drinking problem is challenging enough, but a neighbor with a drug addiction can be even more concerning. Drug addiction can lead to irrational or even violent behavior, especially in high-stress situations.
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Furthermore, drug users often have connections to criminal elements, making them potentially dangerous in a crisis. They may have no qualms about using force to obtain what they need, which could put your own supplies at risk.
If you suspect your neighbor might be involved in dealing drugs, keep an eye out for signs like blacked-out windows, excessive security measures around the property, or a constant stream of short-term visitors who come and go quickly. These could all indicate illegal activity that might pose a serious threat to your safety and security.
Suspicious Curiosity
If your neighbor seems overly interested in your preparations but shows no intention of building their own stockpile, it might be a cause for concern. When they constantly ask how much you have stored, where you keep it, and how you secure it, or when they seem to be watching you closely as you work on projects in your yard, it could be a red flag.
They may have decided that preparing for emergencies is unnecessary because they have a different plan: taking your supplies if the situation arises.
Related: What Looters Will Take First From Your Property
Modern technology has made it all too easy for neighbors to monitor what you’re doing. Security cameras, while an excellent tool for homesteaders wanting to secure their property, can be just as valuable to those with less honorable intentions. A small camera positioned on a windowsill could be quietly recording everything happening in your yard.
If you have a neighbor who seems unusually curious about your preparations, consider finding ways to keep your activities more discreet. Protect your privacy by obscuring what you’re doing and minimizing what others can see from outside your property.
The Neighborhood Activist
It seems like every neighborhood has at least one: the neighbor who’s constantly proposing new rules at the Homeowners Association, writing to the local newspaper to complain about livestock in yards, or organizing petitions to make you tear down your new shed.
In a way, the end of the world as we know it might feel like a relief because these types won’t have anywhere to lodge their complaints. Unfortunately, as long as society continues, they’ll be free to keep harassing everyone around them—and homesteaders are often their favorite target.
How To Deal With Problem Neighbors
Aside from neighborhood activists, most problematic neighbors share a common trait—they’re likely to come after your supplies in an emergency. They might show up at your door demanding their “fair share,” try to rally other hungry neighbors against you, or, in the worst-case scenario, resort to force to take what they need. No matter their approach, the outcome remains the same: you risk losing your supplies.
As a homesteader, you probably have a plan to protect your stockpile, but it’s always better to avoid confrontation altogether. Any conflict carries the risk of injury or worse, so the goal should always be to steer clear of it. The best way to avoid conflict with unprepared neighbors is to prevent them from discovering your stockpile in the first place. Don’t reveal your preparedness unless you’re reasonably sure your neighbors share the same mindset.
Keep items like barrels of fuel and water hidden away, perhaps in a shed, to protect them from prying eyes, damage, or theft. Always practice basic operational security. By doing so, your neighbors might still be a nuisance, but they’re less likely to become a threat to you.
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