My Brother’s Keeper: Codes & Camper Living
By Misty Green
A local man is fighting the Tennessee State Code to allow his 80-year-old brother to live in a camper on his land.
In Tennessee, codes are generally not only violated if a complaint is filed. Many laws are enforced through various mechanisms, including direct investigation, public awareness campaigns, and other means, and are not solely reliant on formal complaints. Complaints can trigger investigations, but violations can be addressed without a complaint being filed.
During the April 17, 2025, gathering of the Macon County, Tennessee Planning Commission, one man stepped up as his brother’s keeper, pleading with authorities, who had given a deadline of June 1, 2025, to have his brother, who was, currently dwelling in a camper on his land, removed.
Steve Long is a resident of Green Grove who requested to be placed on the agenda for the meeting to discuss a code violation notice he received in the mail.
“I have owned this place for 20-plus years,” Mr. Long said, showing the board several pictures of his property.
“I have spent over $50,000 fixing it up like the pictures show, and there’s a $20,000 storm shelter built for people to use. I have people stop by my place all the time, who say they are fixing to retire, saying they want to finish living in something like this. It’s not a junked up place; my brother has been there since he retired, and he is nearly 80 years old, and I help him. It’s hard to find an 80-year-old a place to live for less than $1,300 a month. I have set our place up to be self-sufficient, and the sewer is not going into the ground; it is pulled out when it gets full, like in the campgrounds, and taken and dumped.”
Mrs. Long also addressed the planning commission: “Nobody even does this (code violation letter) unless somebody complains. You can’t skip over the 15 to 20 other people living in campers. I drove past five from my house to here. You can’t skip one house and then say, you will have to do something about yours… That’s what has gotten me upset more than anything. My place looks nice, unlike some of the others who have theirs halfway underpinned. In all the years that I have lived here, no one has ever complained.”
“We will discuss this with our county attorney before we decide on this or take any action,” Chairperson Amy Phelps replied.
“So, you have to talk to him,” Mrs. Long said, “And we have until June to have him removed… What distinguishes the differences between a camper and a trailer?”
“A camper is an RV (recreational vehicle) and can be moved, and the other is on a permanent foundation,” Chief Codes Enforcement Officer Scott Carver replied.
One planning commission member asked, “Is there a way to make what he has meet the requirements to be legal? “
“You would have to talk to the county attorney about that,” Mr. Carver replied.
“So, the county attorney isn’t just to represent you all when it goes to court, but he makes the decisions on everything,” Mrs. Long declared.
“He doesn’t make the decisions,” Scott Carver answered, “He gives us advice.”
“I am tired of hearing that,” Mrs. Long said, “Everyone says go talk to the lawyer, but when I went to talk to him, he wouldn’t even speak to me because my name is not on the violation letter. I don’t mean to be getting smart, but we are talking about an 80-year-old man who can not make it on his own outside of this place. It has been his home for over 17 years, and he is on food stamps. He has a vehicle and still gets to drive, but you want to put him in a situation that says he can’t live there.”
“This is the rule we go by,” Scott Carver replied, pointing at the letter.
“Well, we never knew you were there,” Mrs. Long said, “And you can’t see inside those campers to know what is inside unless you opened up the door to see what you stated on this letter, and without a warrant that’s illegal, because, I could tell you that they were making meth down the road, but you can’t go in there and even look without a warrant… That’s illegal – opening a door – and you would’ve never known that it wasn’t unpacked unless you opened it, and the letter states what you saw upon arrival… That’s a lawsuit.”
“I’ve got to get something done by June 1st,” Mr. Long said, “And I’ve thought about it, and thought about trying to get my brother out somewhere, but when you go to changing these old people’s way of life… He’s already had a stroke, and it doesn’t make a difference what your codes are because it affects people. I hope you can do something about it or let it go, because I passed five living in campers on the way up here, and you can’t give me a citation or violation that will cost me $900 a day after June 1st, unless you get every one of them… Do you see my point?”
“We want to do what is fair to you and what is fair to the County,” Mrs. Phelps said, “We need more information to make a fair ruling. We will consult with the attorney and table this until next month. I appreciate the pictures, and it does look nice.”
