Power cuts escalate dispute at Olive Dell Ranch
Residents say utility shutoffs follow lawsuit over mandatory clothing policy
Residents of the once-bustling nudist haven Olive Dell Ranch say an ongoing legal fight over the community’s future has intensified after electricity was disconnected at multiple homes, leaving some residents without hot water or power for medical equipment.
The dispute relates to a 2025 lawsuit filed by dozens of residents after new ownership imposed a mandatory clothing policy at the long-running nudist resort. In recent days, residents have accused management of retaliating by pulling electric meters, a move they say is illegal under California law when used to pressure tenants during an eviction dispute.
“I have no idea what their motivation is,” resident Nancy Roeder told ABC7. “But this is harassment.” Roeder said she relies on a CPAP machine for sleep apnea, while her partner uses a nebulizer for asthma.1
Other residents echoed Roeder’s concerns. Jim Ramer, who has a pacemaker monitored by a hospital, said his power was cut despite paying on time. “I’ve been paying every month,” he said. “It’s very stressful.” Another resident, Jim Hillis, said his checks were delivered but not cashed. “It was delivered, but she refused to cash the check,” he told reporters.
ABC7’s reporting came in the form of a video segment interviewing residents, first aired on February 5th.
Management disputes the characterization. In comments to ABC7, co-owner Tina Coffelt said meters were removed due to nonpayment. “We have pulled the meters for lack of payment,” she said, adding that unauthorized use of electricity could constitute a felony. She also defended the clothing mandate, saying, “If you want to run around naked, go to a naked place. We’re not doing that anymore.”
An attorney representing many residents pushed back, arguing that the policy itself is discriminatory and that utility shutoffs are unlawful if intended to force people out. “There’s a state law that prohibits landlords from, with the intent to evict, turning off people’s utilities,” attorney Frances Campbell said in the ABC7 report.
Police were called after residents reported meter removals. Officers initially treated the issue as a civil matter, but later returned following a physical altercation between a tenant and a landlord’s employee. Both were cited and released.
The lawsuit now involves 56 plaintiffs and seeks at least $5 million in damages, alleging civil rights violations, unfair business practices, and abuse of elderly and disabled residents. A court date is scheduled for February 28, 2026.
This latest flare-up fits a longer pattern Planet Nude has documented over the past several years. Olive Dell’s 70-year identity as a nudist community has been under sustained pressure since new ownership took a more active role in 2023, well before national attention focused on the ranch after the 2024 double homicide. Residents say the clothing mandate, utility disputes, and eviction filings amount to an effort to dismantle a historic naturist community without formally shutting it down.
Recent television coverage captures only a narrow slice of that history. For residents, the current crisis is not just about electricity bills or dress codes, but about the culture of their community, and whether or not Olive Dell can continue to exist as the kind of place they were promised when they moved in. 🪐
More reading:
McMillan, R. (2026, February 5). Residents at Redlands nudist resort accuse landlord of disconnecting electricity as retaliation. ABC7 Los Angeles. https://abc7.com/post/residents-redlands-nudist-resort-accuse-landlord-disconnecting-electricity-retaliation/18549584/
Nudist resort residents fight landlord over power cuts, clothing rules. (2026, February 6). KFI AM 640 / iHeartRadio. https://kfiam640.iheart.com/content/2026-02-06-nudist-resort-residents-fight-landlord-over-power-cuts-clothing-rules/
Nudist resort residents fight landlord over power cuts, clothing rules. (2026, February). Reddit, r/nudism summary of ABC7 reporting. https://www.reddit.com/r/nudism/comments/1qy1eg9/nudist_resort_residents_fight_landlord_over_power/?share_id=ptchWalpfE0JAM64nqW5r&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&utm_source=share&utm_term=4