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May 26, 2011 12:23 AM   Subscribe

How can I search the entire U.S. for housing to meet our specific needs?

Every search tool we’ve found is limited to a specific ZIP code or state. While this makes sense for most people, we no longer have family to care for and can move anywhere in the U.S. While our criteria may seem choosy we consider it a good thing to know at last what we need. So I beg nay-sayers and negatively-minded ("realistic") folks to pass on this one. My wife is very ill and we really don't need people telling us that our dream is not possible.

Our first criteria is a smoke-free building but we've only found a way to search state-by-state and then only for smoke-free common areas only. Next is our hope for something situated deep in nature, which we have now, albeit with much smoking nearby. Once these criteria are met we'll settle for almost anything so long as it’s quiet and with in-unit laundry due to my wife's disability. My wife is legally disabled, but the properties that service this population, though, all seem to be unfortunately placed right next to busy roads and they are rarely smoke-free.

For all of this we can presently spend only $800 per month but our prospects may change next year. (I worked for 24 years before my job was eliminated due to the economy and my unemployment is about to run out.) We've only just learned about subsidized rentals and don't yet fully understand how they work. Thank you for any ideas.
posted by tangram1 to Home & Garden (14 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Oregon, Maine and some other states have smoke-free housing policies. Search Google for "smoke free housing" and you'll find more on that. Here is an example of a smoke-free 60+ complex in Oregon. It is HUD subsidized. The Maine site has a number you can call for housing search assistance.

Historically your posts indicate you've had a lot of issues with neighbours; if you are unable to rent a house, I would encourage you to look for housing specifically for people over 60 as I would guess you'll ultimately have more luck finding the tranquillity and lack of impact you seek.

The TVs will be louder, though.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:46 AM on May 26, 2011 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks, DB. We wondered about TVs. We use headphones so as not to bother our neighbors. I want to push back on any suggestion that we're hyper-sensitive or critical. When we lived in more expensive rentals we suffered only the loud, booming bass that seems ubiquitous in our area. Yes, it always seems to be something, but we've heard of more enlightened areas of the country where peaceful enjoyment is valued, as you've pointed out, with our thanks.
posted by tangram1 at 1:17 AM on May 26, 2011


Can you try caretaking a property? Caretaker.org costs money, but might have some options for you to look into. There are probably other ways to get into caretaking, too.
posted by aniola at 1:28 AM on May 26, 2011


Response by poster: Kewel! Thanks, aniola!
posted by tangram1 at 1:58 AM on May 26, 2011


Can you travel to check out promising places?

Re smoke free building, keep in mind if it's an apartment complex, smokers will smoke despite the rules.
posted by J. Wilson at 5:26 AM on May 26, 2011


Your best bet, given your wife's health constraints, is to look for a rental home (actual freestanding home) in a senior community. In my area, these tend to be single floor ranch style housing. I don't know how close to nature you'll be able to get, but you should be able to find something quiet and if you check out your potential neighbors, smoke free.

I can't speak to subsidized rentals in your area, but I know that here the waiting lists are extremely long so I would get the ball rolling on that process ASAP.
posted by crankylex at 6:42 AM on May 26, 2011


No advice on broad searches, but if the smoking thing is your number one concern, what if you looked at it a different way and started targeting places with really low smoking rates? This map would show you which states have low rates.

Utah has less than 10% of the population smoking, the lowest in the nation. Because of the strong religious norms against smoking, there just aren't that many smokers here. I can't find a county-by-county breakdown, but I'm assuming Utah County (where Provo/BYU are located) is among the lowest in the nation. Many rental properties specify no smoking. Some of them also specify no drinking, if that's a factor for you either way. You could get a 2 br for under $800.

This approach also limits your chances of having smokers just outside the building who contaminate your air space.

The "deep in nature" thing may be more problematic if you're looking for an apartment rather than a house since people tend to congregate in the valleys here (lots of suburban-feeling area) and go to the nearby mountains for recreation. If you're willing to look at houses, you'll have a lot more luck with that part.
posted by BlooPen at 6:50 AM on May 26, 2011


The AARP's page on Low-Cost Housing may give you a starting point in your search.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:01 AM on May 26, 2011


I want to push back on any suggestion that we're hyper-sensitive or critical.

Frankly, you are. In the past you've posted here asking about your neighbors wearing too much cologne, about vibrations from your downstairs neighbor disturbing your chair, about loud toddlers, and about people having phone conversations inside their apartment but too close to their balconies. These are things that people have to deal with when they live in multi-unit apartment buildings.

That doesn't mean that your dream is impossible, just that looking for an apartment is the wrong way to go about it. You should be looking at freestanding houses with large lots. There are any number of less expensive rural areas where you should be able to find something in your price range that meets your criteria. If you're looking for a new job, though, the tricky part may be finding something like that in an area where you have reasonable chance of finding work, but that's going to depend a lot on what kind of position you're looking for.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 8:14 AM on May 26, 2011 [6 favorites]


Response by poster: Wow. You guys are SO Smart! I knew there would be lots of things we hadn't considered, but never dreamed they'd be this good. Thanks for helping us keep the faith.
posted by tangram1 at 10:43 AM on May 26, 2011


Response by poster: Strangely Stunted Trees I really don't know how you can arbitrarily suggest that we're too sensitive when you have no idea on what level the pollution has been. Please consider whether there is a degree of noise that would make you seek help until you found a workable solution. We're not saying this isn't the great task of our lives, but that doesn't mean that the objective noise level unreasonably low. We've found that those who call us "too sensitive" are the ones who most like to make noise. There are times and places for that but housing in a nature sanctuary with the tagline "Quiet Living" is not it.

I'm not going to get into a discussion about this, intending this suggestion will be sufficient then letting it go.
posted by tangram1 at 11:18 AM on May 26, 2011


When you say subsidized, what do you mean? Are you looking for rent that's based on your income level (aka Section 8 and similar programs like 811 PRAC) or anything that's below market. There's an entire alphabet soup of programs (Sec 8, 811 PRAC, Section 202, HOME, LIHTC etc etc...) which are all different sorts of "low income" housing.

I have to tell people daily that there is no central database that shows availability citywide let alone statewide. You can however search for Project based section 8 properties on the HUD website by state. You will see a lot of "Family" complexes, this just means they are not restricted to elderly or disabled. You may qualify for those. But this search doesn't appear to include any LIHTC (subsidized through tax credits not a direct subsidy to tenants) or Public Housing (there is a link to find the state PHAs on that page though.)

Another issue you will run into is waiting lists. They may be closed or excruciatingly looooonnnng (like 5 to 10 years long.)

As for smoke-free housing. My owner has not made a move to go smoke free, although I would love to do it! My husband's property owner is the local housing authority and they have made all their units smoke free. You're going to find a lot of variation between owners.

And another caveat, an elderly/disabled property doesn't guarantee you won't have loud neighbors. And a "family" complex doesn't mean you'll be constantly disturbed either.

Feel free to memail me if you have more questions.
posted by vespabelle at 1:11 PM on May 26, 2011


You might contact Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, http://www.no-smoke.org/, as they are heavily involved in the legislative side and may have very current information on places and laws.
posted by Riverine at 2:01 PM on May 26, 2011


I'd like to once again recommend that you look into monastic communities. If you're truly committed to uprooting and moving 100% to a new place and a new community, you might be able to find a monastic community that would welcome you with open arms. There are ones bound up in religions and some which are not at all.

Odds are good that a monastic community will be non-smoking, quiet, and rural. You might have a hard time with the in-unit laundry, but since communities like this are collaborative and cooperative, you might find yourself getting some help with that kind of thing. Here is a start for a directory of these: http://www.communityofcommunities.info/

Another term for something you could be looking for is an Intentional Community - some of those are similar in scope but non-religious in nature and there could be a good fit for you both in one of those.
posted by juniperesque at 2:55 PM on May 26, 2011


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