Cobbtown Acres - county trying to shut down DIY home on wheels business
- 2 years ago
I am a representative from Cobbtown Acres LLC in beautiful Cobbtown, Georgia. We are a group of people who focus on DIY conversions. We were founded by retired Deputy Sheriff John Vedder Jr. as it is his vision that people in our community should have a reliable place to work on their bus, van, and RV conversions.
There has been a 20% rise in housing costs in the last year alone. A basic necessity that has forced people to become homeless or choose an entirely different lifestyle. One of those lifestyles is the nomad community. With the continued downfall of mental health access, the increase of rent payments, and the rise of crime, more and more people are choosing a home on wheels to get away from city life's chaos and toxicity.
After John Vedder Jr became medically disabled, he had the vision to open his property to people to do DIY repairs for their home on wheels or convert their bus or van into a livable home for comfortable traveling. His vision became reality in October 2021 and his business became an instant success. People drove from as far as Maine to experience Cobbtown Acres and do repairs and renovations on their home on wheels.
Now the County Commissioners are threatening to shut him down, take away his business license, and the only way he has to support himself and his family.
John Vedder Jr, his wife, and a handful of volunteers are fighting to keep Cobbtown Acres for those who are currently there and the hundreds who want to someday visit and work on their own home on wheels. Current and former guests have brought thousands of dollars to the local communities - gas stations. laundromats, food service establishments, pharmacies, grocery stores, auto part stores, mechanics, hardwood stores, and the list go ones. It's also brought, much-needed new workers desperate to hire.
The guests of Cobbtown Acres are not criminals, nor are they homeless, but some of them are disabled, and Cobbtown Acres is the only place where they can work on their home at their own pace or with the help of John Vedder and other guests. If Cobbtown Acres is shut down, where will these people, some of whom are in the middle of their repairs go? Why is Georgia's Candler County Commissioners trying to shut down a small business, discontinue new revenue to local communities and put a stop to honest hard-working people just trying to build a home?
We believe it should be the right of all nomads and citizens to be able to live out their visions. We hope to lead the way so that there will be even more opportunities in the future. This is our story.
There has been a 20% rise in housing costs in the last year alone. A basic necessity that has forced people to become homeless or choose an entirely different lifestyle. One of those lifestyles is the nomad community. With the continued downfall of mental health access, the increase of rent payments, and the rise of crime, more and more people are choosing a home on wheels to get away from city life's chaos and toxicity.
After John Vedder Jr became medically disabled, he had the vision to open his property to people to do DIY repairs for their home on wheels or convert their bus or van into a livable home for comfortable traveling. His vision became reality in October 2021 and his business became an instant success. People drove from as far as Maine to experience Cobbtown Acres and do repairs and renovations on their home on wheels.
Now the County Commissioners are threatening to shut him down, take away his business license, and the only way he has to support himself and his family.
John Vedder Jr, his wife, and a handful of volunteers are fighting to keep Cobbtown Acres for those who are currently there and the hundreds who want to someday visit and work on their own home on wheels. Current and former guests have brought thousands of dollars to the local communities - gas stations. laundromats, food service establishments, pharmacies, grocery stores, auto part stores, mechanics, hardwood stores, and the list go ones. It's also brought, much-needed new workers desperate to hire.
The guests of Cobbtown Acres are not criminals, nor are they homeless, but some of them are disabled, and Cobbtown Acres is the only place where they can work on their home at their own pace or with the help of John Vedder and other guests. If Cobbtown Acres is shut down, where will these people, some of whom are in the middle of their repairs go? Why is Georgia's Candler County Commissioners trying to shut down a small business, discontinue new revenue to local communities and put a stop to honest hard-working people just trying to build a home?
We believe it should be the right of all nomads and citizens to be able to live out their visions. We hope to lead the way so that there will be even more opportunities in the future. This is our story.