Can the government force you to pay utilities?

[sw4rmed]

Jurisdiction

Missouri

Hello I am in a small town and cops came to my house and said I must pay electricity, water, and sewage in order to live on the property otherwise they can kick me off and take the property. Is it legal for them to monopolize like this and force evict poor people? Also the small town is giving a large factory free power and for poor people with bad credit just the electric deposit is 400$ This seems to be against our constitutional rights or something.

 

[Tax Counsel]

Hello I am in a small town and cops came to my house and said I must pay electricity, water, and sewage in order to live on the property otherwise they can kick me off and take the property.

It is very common for cities and counties to have housing codes that set minimum standards a building must meet in order to occupied by humans. These codes typically require that the building have electricity, water access, and some authorized sewage system, whether a septic tank, connection to city sewer, or whatever. Those things are considered important for public health and safety. If the building does not meet those standards the housing code authority can revoke the certificate of occupancy if one was issued before or refuse to issue one if the building does not have it. Without the certificate of occupancy no person may live there, and the government can take the legal steps needed to remove anyone living in such a building. Bottom line, the local government can do it, and it does not violate the federal or state constitution.

If the reason you are unable to have those services is that you cannot pay for them, there are various private and government programs out there that might be able to help you get free or low cost utility service for your home. The Missouri office of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a page that lists some resources to get help with your utility bills. There may be other resources out there besides those, too.

 

[Red Kayak]

Posting hx: Inheritance Title Transfer

If you use utilities, then you have to pay for them.

Some utilities have programs that provide lower rates for low income people.

But yes, if you owe the municipality money for services such as water, etc., the cost can be added to your property taxes. And if you do not pay your property taxes, a lien can be placed on the property.

 

[army judge]

CDC issued a new order temporarily halting evictions in counties with heightened levels of community transmission in order to respond to recent, unexpected developments in the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rise of the Delta variant. It is intended to target specific areas of the country where cases are rapidly increasing, which likely would be exacerbated by mass evictions.

Read all about the NEW eviction protections for tenants during the Plague:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/Signed-CDC-Eviction-Order.pdf

 

[justblue]

Posting hx: Inheritance Title Transfer

If you use utilities, then you have to pay for them.

Some utilities have programs that provide lower rates for low income people.

But yes, if you owe the municipality money for services such as water, etc., the cost can be added to your property taxes. And if you do not pay your property taxes, a lien can be placed on the property.

Oh yeah...The nasty racists. Guess his plan to marry a girl from another country and move there didn't work out. Can't imagine why.

 

[Tax Counsel]

CDC issued a new order temporarily halting evictions in counties with heightened levels of community transmission in order to respond to recent, unexpected developments in the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rise of the Delta variant. It is intended to target specific areas of the country where cases are rapidly increasing, which likely would be exacerbated by mass evictions.

Read all about the NEW eviction protections for tenants during the Plague:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/Signed-CDC-Eviction-Order.pdf

I don't see that as helping the OP with his problem with the city or county though. The CDC moratorium applies to tenants facing eviction by a landlord or other person with a right of possession due to nonpayment of rent by the tenant. This is not a situation of kicking someone out because of nonpayment of rent; it's kicking someone out of his home because of failure to pay for utilities required to meet housing code requirements.

And, of course, just as with prior CDC moratoriums, the CDC lacks the authority for the moratorium; the CDC got slapped down by the Supreme Court the last time, and I've no doubt that the same result would occur with this one, too.

 

[zddoodah]

I am in a small town and cops came to my house and said I must pay electricity, water, and sewage in order to live on the property otherwise they can kick me off and take the property.

Whether you pay or don't pay your utilities isn't ordinarily a matter in which the police would involve themselves. What are the circumstances unique to your situation that made them get involved?

Is it legal for them to monopolize like this and force evict poor people?

This question makes no sense. Telling you that you need to pay your utilities isn't "monopolizing" anything. As far as "force evict[ing] poor people," it's perfectly legal under appropriate circumstances. Unfortunately, you didn't tell us what your circumstances are.

This seems to be against our constitutional rights or something.

Which provision(s) of the U.S. or Missouri Constitution do you think is being violated?

 

[Red Kayak]

Oh yeah...The nasty racists. Guess his plan to marry a girl from another country and move there didn't work out. Can't imagine why.

Yeah, we just don't understand how hard it is to be white.