Oct. 1, 2025
After 25 years of warnings, fines and broken promises, Humboldt County supervisors finally voted last week to crack down on the infamous Yee Haw commune. Their unanimous decision set in motion plans to clear the 10-acre property of unpermitted structures and hazards, a move that would displace the approximate 10 residents who currently call it home and strip longtime owner Charles Garth of control. Officials say the site is riddled with environmental dangers and dotted with ramshackle dwellings that fail to meet even the most basic safety standards.
Less than nine months before, Garth had stood at the supervisors’ dais, pleading for more time. He promised to pay down thousands in fees and bring the property into compliance. The board granted him that grace period. But last Tuesday, supervisors made clear their patience had run out.
