Where to live in US?
December 25, 2020 11:53 AM Subscribe
I have the opportunity to move to another city in the US that I choose, and I am weighing doing just that. I would love some suggestions for medium or even large cities with a moderate cost of living. Ideally close to Milwaukee's cost of living; though there is probably some wiggle room there. I would love suggestions, requirements and nice-to-have's inside.
A friend of mine offered to help me get out of the situation I'm in here, cosign a lease so I can start getting a real rental record again, and take care of my living expenses until I can either get disability or get a job though vocational rehab. But he also offered, if I choose, he'd help me move to another city of my choosing to start over. It might not be a bad thing for me.
(Honestly, for as bad as the hits in my life have been in the last few years, they've been equal to or outweighed by the amazing people in my life that have helped. That includes you guys.)
I'd need to find some place with a few things
- Decent cost of living, ideally close to what Milwaukee's is. It could go a little higher, I think, but not much.
- Affordable rental market
- Walkable city, ideally some place where I can get basic necessities within walking distance. I drive, but walking keeps me sane and healthier.
- decent social services, since I will need to try and get on disability where ever I go. Ideally a vocational rehab program for people with disabilities; I may stay just for the one here in Wisconsin if I'm accepted, but I'm still waiting on medical review of my disabilities.
- Safe enough for a single woman living on her own
- Decent tenant protections
- Activities and events that a single woman could go to and find friends, socialize
Wants:
- Good public transportation
- Ocean within a half days drive
- a purple state where my vote would count
I do need a bustling city, I think. I lived in the suburbs for a long time and it was just mentally a prison. I wish I had realized it sooner. I now live in one of the busier parts of the city and its good for me.
I am not much of a bar goer, though I may have to change that because I need to get some sort of social life, especially in a new city (Once covid is over).
And is there anything else I should be considering when looking at places to move? I've never moved outside of the Milwaukee area and its suburbs, and it feels daunting to say "just pick a city".
Places I've wanted to move to but are outside what I can afford: Los Angeles, Seattle. Love those cities, but they are just well outside of what I can afford. I also have in the past thought about moving to one of the bigger cities in North Carolina. And without knowing anything about it, Atlanta, GA also jumps out at me.
I'm not committed to moving to another city for a number of reasons, but since the opportunity is there, I feel I should at least weigh my opportunities.
A friend of mine offered to help me get out of the situation I'm in here, cosign a lease so I can start getting a real rental record again, and take care of my living expenses until I can either get disability or get a job though vocational rehab. But he also offered, if I choose, he'd help me move to another city of my choosing to start over. It might not be a bad thing for me.
(Honestly, for as bad as the hits in my life have been in the last few years, they've been equal to or outweighed by the amazing people in my life that have helped. That includes you guys.)
I'd need to find some place with a few things
- Decent cost of living, ideally close to what Milwaukee's is. It could go a little higher, I think, but not much.
- Affordable rental market
- Walkable city, ideally some place where I can get basic necessities within walking distance. I drive, but walking keeps me sane and healthier.
- decent social services, since I will need to try and get on disability where ever I go. Ideally a vocational rehab program for people with disabilities; I may stay just for the one here in Wisconsin if I'm accepted, but I'm still waiting on medical review of my disabilities.
- Safe enough for a single woman living on her own
- Decent tenant protections
- Activities and events that a single woman could go to and find friends, socialize
Wants:
- Good public transportation
- Ocean within a half days drive
- a purple state where my vote would count
I do need a bustling city, I think. I lived in the suburbs for a long time and it was just mentally a prison. I wish I had realized it sooner. I now live in one of the busier parts of the city and its good for me.
I am not much of a bar goer, though I may have to change that because I need to get some sort of social life, especially in a new city (Once covid is over).
And is there anything else I should be considering when looking at places to move? I've never moved outside of the Milwaukee area and its suburbs, and it feels daunting to say "just pick a city".
Places I've wanted to move to but are outside what I can afford: Los Angeles, Seattle. Love those cities, but they are just well outside of what I can afford. I also have in the past thought about moving to one of the bigger cities in North Carolina. And without knowing anything about it, Atlanta, GA also jumps out at me.
I'm not committed to moving to another city for a number of reasons, but since the opportunity is there, I feel I should at least weigh my opportunities.
I love Tucson. Good bus system, great little neighborhoods sprinkled around the city, many entertainment options in normal times, and decent social services. TWO beautiful botanical gardens both within reach of public transit. You can walk or bike most places, and bicyclists in the streets are generally respected.
There's a progressive / activist scene too. For example, Tucson Food Share/Food Not Bombs does twice-weekly food deliveries.
Arizona is about as purple as they come these days: for example, a lot of the Republicans there yeeted 45 enthusiastically.
The summer heat is getting out of control, however, and rents are higher than they used to be.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 12:08 PM on December 25, 2020 [4 favorites]
There's a progressive / activist scene too. For example, Tucson Food Share/Food Not Bombs does twice-weekly food deliveries.
Arizona is about as purple as they come these days: for example, a lot of the Republicans there yeeted 45 enthusiastically.
The summer heat is getting out of control, however, and rents are higher than they used to be.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 12:08 PM on December 25, 2020 [4 favorites]
To add on to Sheydem-tants recommendation of Tucson--most people wouldn't think of it as being all that close to the ocean, but many Tucsonans get their ocean/beach needs met at Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco), an under-three-hour drive south.
posted by QuakerMel at 12:32 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by QuakerMel at 12:32 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
Look into Chapel Hill and specifically Carrboro. Durham is a bit cheaper though getting more expensive.
posted by raccoon409 at 12:33 PM on December 25, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 12:33 PM on December 25, 2020 [3 favorites]
Tulsa's pretty cheap and has pretty good parks, trails, etc. The state isn't going D in a Presidential election any time soon, but it isn't unheard of for the relevant Congressional seat to go blue. There are some walkable areas and while the tenant laws aren't great, they're far better than many other red states.
posted by wierdo at 12:46 PM on December 25, 2020
posted by wierdo at 12:46 PM on December 25, 2020
There’s a youtube channel The World According to Briggs where he publishes lists of cities in the US on a variety of topics. He recently did a series on the best places to live on for under 1500/month in each of the key geographic regions of the US. He looks at a lot of factors - cost of living, crime, job opportunities, things to do, schools, etc. It might be a good channel to check out - i can pretty much guarantee he’ll mention areas you're never thought of before that actually sound pretty decent!
posted by cgg at 1:27 PM on December 25, 2020 [11 favorites]
posted by cgg at 1:27 PM on December 25, 2020 [11 favorites]
Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Durham are all very car-centric, and are definitely not "bustling city." Transit... exists. Downtown Raleigh is a bit denser/more walkable, and Charlotte is a passable approximation of an actual city.
Farther north, Philadelphia or Baltimore might fit your criteria aside from the political (locally both very blue, though PA is purple on a national level). I have heard good things about Richmond in recent years too, though I've never lived there /can't speak to tenancy laws. Virginia is reliably D nationally, but local politics are much more mixed.
posted by basalganglia at 1:53 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
Farther north, Philadelphia or Baltimore might fit your criteria aside from the political (locally both very blue, though PA is purple on a national level). I have heard good things about Richmond in recent years too, though I've never lived there /can't speak to tenancy laws. Virginia is reliably D nationally, but local politics are much more mixed.
posted by basalganglia at 1:53 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
I think Atlanta best fits your criteria. It's definitely a half day from the ocean, has several bustling neighborhoods, is still somewhat affordable (though the bustling areas are much less so), and Georgia has clearly tipped into purple state status.
If you consider Texas to be verging on purple, then you might look at Austin, though it's much less affordable than your current city. Houston has some neighborhoods you might like too, though the climate is pretty dire if your ideal was something on the West Coast.
I guess Pennsylvania qualifies as purple, so if that's the case then Philadelphia should definitely be on your list. Pittsburgh has a lot to recommend it, though it's at least 6 hours to the beaches on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Tucson is a great city and the desert around there is beautiful. I wouldn't exactly call it 'bustling' though. I don't think you'd like Phoenix at all. Both cities are closer to a full day's drive from the Pacific. The Gulf of California in Mexico is a bit closer if the border crossing isn't too much of a hassle.
posted by theory at 2:28 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you consider Texas to be verging on purple, then you might look at Austin, though it's much less affordable than your current city. Houston has some neighborhoods you might like too, though the climate is pretty dire if your ideal was something on the West Coast.
I guess Pennsylvania qualifies as purple, so if that's the case then Philadelphia should definitely be on your list. Pittsburgh has a lot to recommend it, though it's at least 6 hours to the beaches on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Tucson is a great city and the desert around there is beautiful. I wouldn't exactly call it 'bustling' though. I don't think you'd like Phoenix at all. Both cities are closer to a full day's drive from the Pacific. The Gulf of California in Mexico is a bit closer if the border crossing isn't too much of a hassle.
posted by theory at 2:28 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
I think you need to narrow down the criteria. Cleveland or Columbus, Ohio have universities, have walkable areas, are not crazy-expensive. But. There are cities like New Orleans, St. Louis, and others, small towns like Yellow Springs, OH. Think about what weather would make life better, easier, more fun (I'm in Maine and so sick of winters). What cultural events do you thrive on?
posted by theora55 at 3:50 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 3:50 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
I co-sign that you really should consider the weather. I will never live in a place where winter=snow again.
posted by sm1tten at 4:14 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by sm1tten at 4:14 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
Are some states better at vocational rehab than others? Some cities?
posted by clew at 4:31 PM on December 25, 2020
posted by clew at 4:31 PM on December 25, 2020
This website provides links to the Vocational Rehab Department for each state.
posted by mundo at 4:45 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by mundo at 4:45 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
I live outside Philly right now and have lived here most of my life. I went to college in Pittsburgh, and my wife is from Atlanta so we've spent lots of time there over the years. I also have family in Wisconsin (around Eau Claire) and have spent a bit of time in Milwaukee (well, Brookfield) for work. I am acquainted with Leinie, Spotted Cow, and the Dells.
It's not easy to navigate, but this site has detailed data comparing the relative cost of overall goods, and specifically rents, across a large number of metro areas (MSAs) around the US. I pulled the rent price indices for Milwaukee, Philly, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh for 2019. You'll see that Philly is quite bit more expensive than the others:
Milwaukee: 92.2 (with 100.0 being "middle of the scale")
Philly: 108.5
Pittsburgh: 78.9
Atlanta: 97.2
Atlanta's transit system is not as good as it looks on paper. It's kinda neglected, which is unfortunate because the city desperately needs more transit options other than cars. It's a car city for sure. Generally, the places that are most walkable around Atlanta are more expensive rent-wise. My daughter worked on the Abrams campaign in 2018 and we paid $600 a month for a bedroom in a house in Decatur - not in the center of that town, but in a residential neighborhood. The area around the house was not walkable at all, and taking transit to work was a nonstarter when we tried it. I ended up leaving my car with her to use, even though the game plan had been for her to take public transit.
Pittsburgh has a pretty good city bus system. The weather is dreary in the winter, and harsher for sure than Philly because of some lake effect, but again, compared to Milwaukee it's not too crazy. It's a midsize city with a million colleges, which means you get all the college town amenities times ten, and there are plenty of ways to meet people that don't have to involve drinking. I really enjoyed my time there and I go back to visit at least once a year, even though I don't have any close friends there now. It's just a neat place.
If you're conditioned to Milwaukee winters, Philly will seem quite mild to you. Rents are higher because it's in the Northeast Corridor and kind of a bedroom community for NYC. But you can still find relatively cheap housing in the city proper, the transit system is decent, and we've had tons of immigrants move here to escape even higher rents and cost of living in New York, so the restaurant scene is wonderful these days. You can take a direct train to Atlantic City from Philly and there's continuing bus service from there to less casino-ish shore towns.
I suspect that social services will be easier to obtain in blue/purple states, and we've helped relatives get Section 8 housing in Florida and Medicaid in Georgia. The Medicaid has gone okay so far, still in process, but the housing in Florida was a six-month Twilight Zone nightmare. Anecdotally, I've met unhoused folks in NYC who came there from the South because it was easier to live on the streets for six months and then apply for services than it was to live in a car place without your own ride and attempt to navigate a hostile system. My knowledge of this is really incomplete but it feels worth mentioning.
posted by sockshaveholes at 4:46 PM on December 25, 2020 [5 favorites]
It's not easy to navigate, but this site has detailed data comparing the relative cost of overall goods, and specifically rents, across a large number of metro areas (MSAs) around the US. I pulled the rent price indices for Milwaukee, Philly, Atlanta, and Pittsburgh for 2019. You'll see that Philly is quite bit more expensive than the others:
Milwaukee: 92.2 (with 100.0 being "middle of the scale")
Philly: 108.5
Pittsburgh: 78.9
Atlanta: 97.2
Atlanta's transit system is not as good as it looks on paper. It's kinda neglected, which is unfortunate because the city desperately needs more transit options other than cars. It's a car city for sure. Generally, the places that are most walkable around Atlanta are more expensive rent-wise. My daughter worked on the Abrams campaign in 2018 and we paid $600 a month for a bedroom in a house in Decatur - not in the center of that town, but in a residential neighborhood. The area around the house was not walkable at all, and taking transit to work was a nonstarter when we tried it. I ended up leaving my car with her to use, even though the game plan had been for her to take public transit.
Pittsburgh has a pretty good city bus system. The weather is dreary in the winter, and harsher for sure than Philly because of some lake effect, but again, compared to Milwaukee it's not too crazy. It's a midsize city with a million colleges, which means you get all the college town amenities times ten, and there are plenty of ways to meet people that don't have to involve drinking. I really enjoyed my time there and I go back to visit at least once a year, even though I don't have any close friends there now. It's just a neat place.
If you're conditioned to Milwaukee winters, Philly will seem quite mild to you. Rents are higher because it's in the Northeast Corridor and kind of a bedroom community for NYC. But you can still find relatively cheap housing in the city proper, the transit system is decent, and we've had tons of immigrants move here to escape even higher rents and cost of living in New York, so the restaurant scene is wonderful these days. You can take a direct train to Atlantic City from Philly and there's continuing bus service from there to less casino-ish shore towns.
I suspect that social services will be easier to obtain in blue/purple states, and we've helped relatives get Section 8 housing in Florida and Medicaid in Georgia. The Medicaid has gone okay so far, still in process, but the housing in Florida was a six-month Twilight Zone nightmare. Anecdotally, I've met unhoused folks in NYC who came there from the South because it was easier to live on the streets for six months and then apply for services than it was to live in a car place without your own ride and attempt to navigate a hostile system. My knowledge of this is really incomplete but it feels worth mentioning.
posted by sockshaveholes at 4:46 PM on December 25, 2020 [5 favorites]
Here’s a link to the most recent U.S. government data I could find for the unemployment rate for various metropolitan areas. The data is from October 2020. You may not be able to work because of your disability but if you are, it may be easier to get a job in an area with a lower unemployment rate.
posted by mundo at 5:00 PM on December 25, 2020
posted by mundo at 5:00 PM on December 25, 2020
Response by poster: "Are some states better at vocational rehab than others? Some cities?" I don't actually know, tbh, I had no idea that program existed until very recently. Basically I've been trying to do on my own for the last several years. I thought it was a choice of social security disability or be able to work, not someone that has limitations but could probably work with the right job and training or tools. My guess is like many state administered programs, they likely vary.
I'm not against the cold or snow anymore. It's not my favorite season, but I've worked and will continue to work hard at enjoying the outside. And I run better in cooler weather.
It may be better to be a place without regular big snows though, there were a couple times one winter where I felt overwhelmed digging the snow out by myself. I'm a petite woman and have to use a coal shovel, regular snow shovels are too big and heavy. (A kids shovel might work, but I had the coal shovel handy). And it's my arms/shoulders/hands that bother me, so lately I'm not even sure I could.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 5:41 PM on December 25, 2020
I'm not against the cold or snow anymore. It's not my favorite season, but I've worked and will continue to work hard at enjoying the outside. And I run better in cooler weather.
It may be better to be a place without regular big snows though, there were a couple times one winter where I felt overwhelmed digging the snow out by myself. I'm a petite woman and have to use a coal shovel, regular snow shovels are too big and heavy. (A kids shovel might work, but I had the coal shovel handy). And it's my arms/shoulders/hands that bother me, so lately I'm not even sure I could.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 5:41 PM on December 25, 2020
DVR is perennially underfunded and some states have waiting lists or priority populations that you may not be a part of (veterans, people who don't live independently, etc). If you are really counting on DVR to get you employed/employable, I wouldn't move out-of-state without doing a lot of research on your destination's program.
Social services in general are better funded and more comprehensive in blue states. I would also suggest you prioritize states that took the Medicaid expansion (Georgia did not).
My calculus as a disabled person who isn't disabled "enough" for SSDI and similar stuff but is still, y'know, disabled, is that I try to live places where I have a robust support network and can access cheap-ish healthcare. For you maybe that means you know one person there and they have decent DVR. Identifying whatever it is for you would hopefully narrow the list down from the overwhelm of "just pick a place!"
posted by Snarl Furillo at 6:03 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
Social services in general are better funded and more comprehensive in blue states. I would also suggest you prioritize states that took the Medicaid expansion (Georgia did not).
My calculus as a disabled person who isn't disabled "enough" for SSDI and similar stuff but is still, y'know, disabled, is that I try to live places where I have a robust support network and can access cheap-ish healthcare. For you maybe that means you know one person there and they have decent DVR. Identifying whatever it is for you would hopefully narrow the list down from the overwhelm of "just pick a place!"
posted by Snarl Furillo at 6:03 PM on December 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
So, this is difficult. Within half a day’s drive of the ocean means a coastal city, which means east or west coast. So you want cheap, coast, and liberal. I don’t think you can get all three. Folks might come up with ideas that aren’t perfect. It’s really hard, as an adult, to pick a city out of a hat. I think it’s best to have a reason to move there — family, a job, a strong feel for the place. I’m a big fan of adventure and trying new places, truly. But maybe you just need a new spot in Milwaukee?
posted by bluedaisy at 8:40 PM on December 25, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 8:40 PM on December 25, 2020 [5 favorites]
"I felt overwhelmed digging the snow out by myself"
What kinds of housing are you thinking of? If you're living in a multi-unit building, you wouldn't have to do the shoveling so that aspect wouldn't matter regardless of where you're living climate-wise. Naturally, you would also want to live somewhere that, if they do get snow, they know how to handle it (Seattle is ill-equipped to handle the rare snow it gets - ask me how I know). But if you don't want multi-unit housing because you're sick of sharing walls/ceilings/floors with neighbors, then that's worth noting.
posted by NotTheRedBaron at 9:49 PM on December 25, 2020
What kinds of housing are you thinking of? If you're living in a multi-unit building, you wouldn't have to do the shoveling so that aspect wouldn't matter regardless of where you're living climate-wise. Naturally, you would also want to live somewhere that, if they do get snow, they know how to handle it (Seattle is ill-equipped to handle the rare snow it gets - ask me how I know). But if you don't want multi-unit housing because you're sick of sharing walls/ceilings/floors with neighbors, then that's worth noting.
posted by NotTheRedBaron at 9:49 PM on December 25, 2020
Response by poster: “But maybe you just need a new spot in Milwaukee?”
That’s kind of the conclusion I’ve come to as well. I know people in different parts of NC, and a few people in or near Atlanta. But as much as I enjoyed looking at all the places I could go; adding an extra level of difficulty to my life is probably not the best plan. His heart is in the right place, but I’m better off just moving within Milwaukee and continuing with the disability/vocational rehab processes I’ve started and see them through.
(To be able to take day trips to the ocean though, that is so very tempting.)
posted by [insert clever name here] at 10:32 PM on December 25, 2020
That’s kind of the conclusion I’ve come to as well. I know people in different parts of NC, and a few people in or near Atlanta. But as much as I enjoyed looking at all the places I could go; adding an extra level of difficulty to my life is probably not the best plan. His heart is in the right place, but I’m better off just moving within Milwaukee and continuing with the disability/vocational rehab processes I’ve started and see them through.
(To be able to take day trips to the ocean though, that is so very tempting.)
posted by [insert clever name here] at 10:32 PM on December 25, 2020
I live within a few hours of Richmond, VA and travel there pretty frequently for my own disability-related healthcare. The VCU system is fantastic for pretty much every specialty and sub speciality imaginable; my own primary specialist is one of the best on the east coast for my condition and I see rehab therapist for different issues within that system.
It’s a good city with a vibrant social scene (somewhat hipster-ish with some “Austin if Austin also got a serious degree and had some direction”). There’s a lot to do that’s free/cheap and of course you can get more expensive, too. Rents are reasonable for a city of the size and depending on how comfortable you are with diverse/lower income neighborhoods can be very affordable.
It’s within a 1.5/2 hr drive of the ocean and some decent beaches.
Obviously every persons case is different, but I was awarded SSDI and it was not as difficult to do through VA as it apparently is in other states as far as getting it awarded. And there are various state/local programs and grants available according to needs.
I’d put in a vote for it if you do end up moving outside of your area- but I’d also second that sometimes having a local support network trumps other things on the wishlist.
posted by shesaysgo at 10:50 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
It’s a good city with a vibrant social scene (somewhat hipster-ish with some “Austin if Austin also got a serious degree and had some direction”). There’s a lot to do that’s free/cheap and of course you can get more expensive, too. Rents are reasonable for a city of the size and depending on how comfortable you are with diverse/lower income neighborhoods can be very affordable.
It’s within a 1.5/2 hr drive of the ocean and some decent beaches.
Obviously every persons case is different, but I was awarded SSDI and it was not as difficult to do through VA as it apparently is in other states as far as getting it awarded. And there are various state/local programs and grants available according to needs.
I’d put in a vote for it if you do end up moving outside of your area- but I’d also second that sometimes having a local support network trumps other things on the wishlist.
posted by shesaysgo at 10:50 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]
I'm disabled and on SSDI. One thing you should consider is that if you ever do end up on SSDI, some states tax those benefits.
posted by ruddlehead at 2:30 AM on December 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by ruddlehead at 2:30 AM on December 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
Seconding Atlanta and Philadelphia. But Atlanta is only walkable in tiny pockets.
posted by madcaptenor at 5:29 AM on December 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by madcaptenor at 5:29 AM on December 26, 2020 [1 favorite]
State and social services in NC are abysmal. I wouldn’t recommend moving to NC with your criteria or situation. Even in downtown Charlotte, you need a car to do much. It’s also hella expensive.
I think sticking to where you are is probably the best plan for now. I wish you luck and I’m so glad you’re out of your last situation. That sounded awful.
posted by guster4lovers at 9:13 AM on December 26, 2020 [4 favorites]
I think sticking to where you are is probably the best plan for now. I wish you luck and I’m so glad you’re out of your last situation. That sounded awful.
posted by guster4lovers at 9:13 AM on December 26, 2020 [4 favorites]
[insert clever name here]: (My friend's) heart is in the right place, but I'm better off just moving within Milwaukee and and continuing with the disability/vocational rehab processes I've started and see them through.
Seconding this so much. I think you'll get a big psychic lift from being out of your last place. And now you can channel that energy into exploring disability or getting work through vocational rehab.
I don't know what resources you're using to find a new home, but this might be a good one: Clear Gains, Wisconsin's smoke-free housing initiative, has an online database of available smoke-free rental housing. You can filter by factors including but not limited to cost, size, location, off-street parking, pet policy, and smoke-free rating (from 1, where housing units inside the building are nonsmoking but patios, balconies, entrances and grounds are not, to 5, where the whole property, including the grounds and entrances, is nonsmoking).
I wish you the best. You deserve it.
posted by virago at 11:58 AM on December 26, 2020 [5 favorites]
Seconding this so much. I think you'll get a big psychic lift from being out of your last place. And now you can channel that energy into exploring disability or getting work through vocational rehab.
I don't know what resources you're using to find a new home, but this might be a good one: Clear Gains, Wisconsin's smoke-free housing initiative, has an online database of available smoke-free rental housing. You can filter by factors including but not limited to cost, size, location, off-street parking, pet policy, and smoke-free rating (from 1, where housing units inside the building are nonsmoking but patios, balconies, entrances and grounds are not, to 5, where the whole property, including the grounds and entrances, is nonsmoking).
I wish you the best. You deserve it.
posted by virago at 11:58 AM on December 26, 2020 [5 favorites]
Mentioning @weirdo's Tulsa comment. I think they still have the thing where they're trying to get people to move there. $10k to move to the city for at least 2 years. Might be a part of your equation.
It's not half a day's drive from any ocean though.
posted by wflanagan at 3:06 PM on December 28, 2020
It's not half a day's drive from any ocean though.
posted by wflanagan at 3:06 PM on December 28, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by diffuse at 12:06 PM on December 25, 2020 [1 favorite]