Thread: On a Dusty Mesa, No Water/ Electricity, but Boundless Space

On a Dusty Mesa, No Water or Electricity, but Boundless Space
Monica Almeida/The New York Times

The Pajarito Mesa, a treeless plateau never licensed for housing but home to more than 400 families, is one of the largest communities, other than some on the Mexican border, to exist off the grid.

By ERIK ECKHOLM
Published: April 18, 2010

ALBUQUERQUE — Fermin Roman knew he was a pioneer when he bought his homestead on the Pajarito Mesa, a treeless plateau outside Albuquerque. But the seller assured him that water and power would arrive in a year or two.

Lacking electricity, Alicia Montes, with her grandson Jairo, relies on a wood-burning stove. More Photos »
“I’m still waiting,â€