u/ConstantGas1657

We're looking for an optimal place to self-build a home with cob or adobe. We've narrowed our options down to a few places in the US, including Southern Alabama, and we're wondering how much regulation and red tape we'll run into down there.

We understand there are a few counties down there with no building department, which supposedly only answer to the fire marshalls. Does this mean we could pretty much build whatever we want and nobody will bother us? Is there any oversight at all? And who would we even call to ask questions or confirm the legality of our plans?

Does anyone know of people who have done something similar in this area? Thanks.

My partner and I are hoping to buy some land this year to live gently on the land. We'd like to build naturally (cob or adobe) so we're focused on Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas. We'd mostly be using rainwater catchment. How much rainfall would we need to sustainably grow food with Indigenous/Hopi methods? We'd appreciate suggestions on where these places are, and if any overlap with communities of people with similar projects/goals. We have our eye on Greenlee and Cochise counties in AZ, and Socorro in New Mexico due to lax building regulations (we don't have a ton of money for permits and red tape.)