Hmm, would the beast take a proactive approach toward thwarting any efforts by 'civilians' to form such survival towns? They will and have in the past although a mass movement by thousands would take the intervention of those Army combat brigades.

If you can find such townsfolk, awesome. Just think however about your day to day existence; how will you pay the bills? Are you able to integrate yourself into THEIR community? Do you know anyone who can smooth your entry? If you can't, then you're in for hell. Outsiders moving in and can't keep their stuff secure because they get vandalized or can't keep a job because, well, their bosses decided they weren't 'performing' have to move... what if they don't have the money?

They have to sell... nobody's buying their stuff-have to have a garage sale to scrap together funds. All the vultures come out and you lose most everything. You're lucky to get a ride from Craigslist and you have to start all over again, in a depression facing a communist regime.

A nightmare scenario but not implausable by any means! Know who you're neighbors are going to be.