I tried to find Anti-Hoarding laws online without success. There is a lot of stuff out there but the legislation I did find is incomprehensible to anyone but a lawyer, and probably to them as well. I know that it varies state by state. I was hoping to find a one stop source for info in this area.

I welcome any info or input.

I'm not a lawyer, so this is by no means complete. But the only thing similiar to anti-hoarding laws I can think of are the "price gouging" laws that many areas have. In florida, it goes something like "Gas / Food / Hotel rooms can't sell for more than their average price in the last 90 days". Which prevents gas from going to $10 a gallon and rooms to $300 overnight.

I'm curious if there are any anti-hoarding laws which apply to individuals. And note the price gouging laws only seem to control how much you can sell something for, not how much of it you can posess.

My guess would be that anti-hoarding laws would spring into existence instantly in the event of a real shortage. But enforcing them would be interesting. If you've purchased your supplies early, paid cash and kept quiet about having them, then how will the authorities know?

Anti-hoarding regulations (not laws) are usually listed under state and federal Department of Agriculture emergency pending legistation sections, usually calling for the for the seizure of food commodities, transportation, storage, and processing catagories.
This gives each State DA , local Emergency Preparedness, USDA, and Homeland Security virtual control of all food commodities and the equipment to process, store, transport, and disburse same, and allows agents to arrest (this language is moving to Department of Homeland Security operational control) anyone not disclosing and securing items listed.
It's not legal or constitutional, but it's not worth your life to argue over a case of spam from your pantry, or the keys to your grocery store, when the highspeedlowdrag JBT's are on the prowl for booty.
Frankly, those friendly folks in section 8 housing will clean you out long before the government gets organized enough to do it.

"Frankly, those friendly folks in section 8 housing will clean you out long before the government gets organized enough to do it."

Without getting too political, I think that depends on your ammo supply... <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Even in the worst of times, I can't see a door to door search. It's just not practical. Police go door to door, search every location in every house where hoardable items could possibly be stored?

Don't be obvious about buying, storing or eventually using supplies and concerns about hoarding will be a non issue.

Can anyone give an example of when individuals accused of hoarding in this country have been prosecuted?

You may want to look from the point of view of Emergency Powers. These give local and state governments more power in a declared emergency.


Florida Statue 252.38:
3(a)(5)... Further, the political subdivision has the power and authority to waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of the political subdivision by law pertaining to:

a. Performance of public work and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the community.

<snipped>

g. Acquisition and distribution, with or without compensation, of supplies, materials, and facilities.

<snipped>


It looks like if they wanted to, they could. As far as I know, no one has really ever abused these powers.

And you won't. No one wants to be hammered by this.

Hording laws are, in a nutshell and excue my langauge, ment to deal with people who are asses. Example- guy has a huge sand pile on his property. Hundred year flood hits. He's on high ground, doesn't care, hates humanity, kicks puppies, purposefully runs over cats, a real waste of DNA. He refuses to let his sand be used for sandbagging, and the next closest serious source of sand is a ten mile haul. He's two miles from the flood site. He looses.

I asked about this of one of our local emergency planning board. This is apparently a real case from when there were was freak flood in my area about ten years ago or so. It's just like the fire department pumping from yoru swimming pool. At least in Vermont.

It basically comes down to conspicous excess beyond personal use, an extreme situation, and someone who just sucks at being human.

Personally, I think you guys "misunderestimate" how some goverment jackasses would react to a prolonged crisis.

However, I do agree organized gangs would be more of a threat than the goverment in the short term.

I apologize if this is a little off topic, but in New Orleans they did go house to house to collect firearms. So doing the same for food, water or fuel would not be out of the question.
http://www.havegunwillvote.com/index.php?sec=news&id=283

I totally agree with Tugsus. Of course, they do not have enough people to actually search - they only asked if you had guns, or they would take them if they saw you with guns.

However, you have to ask yourself why did these people stay in the first place?