LITTLE PROTEST I built a tiny home in the woods within a day and lived there for 7 years – I landed in court but officials let it go

A SQUATTER had his makeshift home taken down by the government to only later end up having them rule in his favor.

James Louden, 50, a dishwasher and poet, spent just a day building his tiny home - and then spent seven years living on public land in the woods of Canmore, Alberta, Canada.

(Louden lived in a small shed in the woods similar to the one pictured.Credit: Getty)

That is until police found him and ordered him to vacate. Louden refused to vacate which led him to be charged under the Public Lands Act, with police tearing down his home in August 2022, per CBC.

Louden had also seen his living situation as a type of protest against the city not providing space for the poor to live.

"If society will not leave space for the poor to live, then the poor ought to take the space they need," Louden told CBC.

In March 2023, the charges against Louden ended up being dropped as it was determined that aspects of the investigation may not have been "procedurally compliant."

Along with the fact that there was no public interest in proceeding with a trial.

"I'm just astonished," Louden told CBC News outside the courthouse at the time.

"I think it's remarkable."

Former town councilor John Kende, 87, put in his two cents during Loudan's court hearings and stood up for the poor in the city, per CBC.

Canmore is a mountain town that has some of the highest rent prices in the area.

The average price for a two-bedroom rental was $2,010 to $2,735 between 2020-2022, according to Canmore Community Housing.

"When we have a tremendous amount of tourism, a tremendous amount of well-to-do people who've got their second homes … we are producing more and more James types," said Kende, per CBC.

It was concluded that the homeless in Canmore need shelter, not more homeless shelters.

The hearing created a voice for the poor of Canmore and how people living in the mountain woods should be left alone. Kende suggested that Canmore sanction a space where people like Louden could stay without any trouble.

Ref: LITTLE PROTEST I built a tiny home in the woods within a day and lived there for 7 years – I landed in court but officials let it go (the-sun)