Not sure where to live in CA. Want warm weather. (San Diego: for rent, crime)

[mayorhaggar]

Ahem...people like to troll about Oakland because it has a large black population and parts of it do have really horrible crime that gets reported on in the media (while similar crime in SF, which is going up, gets downplayed). Oakland has a lot of really great safe neighborhoods which are about 20-40% cheaper than anywhere in SF, but you wouldn't know that if you live somewhere else and the only thing you hear about Oakland is the crime stories. The nice parts of Oakland, like where I live, feel safer and are cleaner and quieter than pretty much anywhere in SF. When I lived in SF I had the usual attitude of "oh Oakland is just a dump with a lot of crime" but then I moved there because SF got too expensive and I really like Oakland a lot.

The weather isn't the main selling point of Oakland, it's true that it can be about as chilly if not more chilly than SF any time of year, but a lot of the time it's about 5 to 10 degrees warmer than SF, especially in the afternoon when the fog over Oakland burns off while SF is still foggy.

Santa Cruz is nice but again I can imagine you'd have trouble finding a job there, there are a ton of college students you would be competing for and there's not many jobs other than retail which doesn't pay much, but rent is still expensive because it's somewhat near Silicon Valley. San Diego might work but you'd be sitting in your car a lot like anywhere in Southern California, if you want the urban life and don't want a car then go for the Bay Area. And forget about living in La Jolla, it's for millionaires, it would be a great place to work though.

[BodegaHead]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Ahem...people like to troll about Oakland because it has a large black population and parts of it do have really horrible crime that gets reported on in the media (while similar crime in SF, which is going up, gets downplayed). Oakland has a lot of really great safe neighborhoods which are about 20-40% cheaper than anywhere in SF, but you wouldn't know that if you live somewhere else and the only thing you hear about Oakland is the crime stories. The nice parts of Oakland, like where I live, feel safer and are cleaner and quieter than pretty much anywhere in SF. When I lived in SF I had the usual attitude of "oh Oakland is just a dump with a lot of crime" but then I moved there because SF got too expensive and I really like Oakland a lot.

The weather isn't the main selling point of Oakland, it's true that it can be about as chilly if not more chilly than SF any time of year, but a lot of the time it's about 5 to 10 degrees warmer than SF, especially in the afternoon when the fog over Oakland burns off while SF is still foggy.

Santa Cruz is nice but again I can imagine you'd have trouble finding a job there, there are a ton of college students you would be competing for and there's not many jobs other than retail which doesn't pay much, but rent is still expensive because it's somewhat near Silicon Valley. San Diego might work but you'd be sitting in your car a lot like anywhere in Southern California, if you want the urban life and don't want a car then go for the Bay Area. And forget about living in La Jolla, it's for millionaires, it would be a great place to work though.

I'm not trolling, just being honest. Like I said Easy Bay advocates LOVE it, nothing wrong with that, to each his own. I have a good friend down there and he jumps down my throat about how great it is, he loves it, I don't care for it, it's nice for the day or if you love to live in an urban enviornment, I am a suburbanite/nature/ocean lover guy.
The East Bay has some good points like I said, but for someone to move there looking for "WARM" weather and "beachy culture" I wouldn't recommend it. It is very industrial and has a high crime rate and the weather isn't that great at all.

Also, it doesn't sound like she needs to worry about a job because she will be getting a transfer from Whole Foods where she already works, so she will just have to worry about budgeting which can be tough,but not impossible.

I would say to this person again you can live wherever you want, you will just have to adjust your living situation to it. You could work in LaJolla, I have friends that live on the San Diego coast that aren't rich, they all split the rent. I would say work in one of these nice areas and commute 15-30 min. and you will find a nice, cheaper place to live and rent. Anything is possible, I lived in a bedroom for $100 a week here,had no work, no friends,no family in an expensive area and now own a home and have a life. I just looked on Craigslist in Oceanside just N. of La Jolla and there are a lot of things for rent for $6-900 a month, small,unfancy places, but that is all you need, you could also rent a room in a larger home or live in a studio on someone elses property.

[mayorhaggar]

You're not being honest about Oakland or the East Bay, you're talking BS because you don't live there and you don't know any better. Again, I used to be the same way when I lived in San Francisco.

[bbw57]

I haven't lived in San Diego, but I've been there to visit. Seems like they have beautiful, mild weather. You'll be near plenty of water! I don't know how expensive it might be. My other recommendation would be Pasadena. I used to live about 5 or 10 miles from there. It's gorgeous and lots to do. But I don't know about the rent. I think the weather would be fine for you, but I think it gets just a tiny bit hotter than Los Angeles. Please keep us posted as to your decision.

[bbw57]

Forgot to mention that they do have a Whole Foods in Pasadena.

[makeitagreatday]

Originally Posted by dennismpat

For someone in your age group, you might want to consider the Belmont Shore neighborhood in Long Beach. It's very youth-oriented and Second Street is very walkable with lots of shops and restaurants. There happens to be a Whole Foods store in the area too. I'm not sure what the salary is for this area to work at Whole Foods, but I think you'll need to live with a roommate.

OP, I must admit that I have selfishly read through this thread as we are considering relocating from the SW to the west or PNW but my criteria at my age is different than when I settled into Belmont Shore in my early 20's...and absolutley loved...loved it there. I could walk to 2nd Street for my banking and just fun people watching and occasionly a sweet treat from...mmmm...'Grandma Gertie's' or something like that. Walk across the street from my oh-so-so-teeny-tiny studio apt. and be walking along the beach. Head kitty corner from my apt. for some groceries at Von's and for every and anywhere else your little 20 something heart may desire (work, school, church and meeting people) the buses are fabulous and I went everywhere on them not having a car until I met my Mr. Right and he swooned me with an adorable little VW bug.

Orange county also has churches GALORE and if you don't find one that calls to your soul in LB, I'm sure you can take a bus over to OC.

The good apts. for rent don't need to advertise in the paper or online and I spent many weekends walking up and down the streets between 2nd and Ocean Blvd. to find the perfect little one for me from the signs in the windows.

I liked the people in Long Beach and there are many different groups and activities for meeting people and a few colleges and universities. I've lived in other states since and CA, hands down, is the best to get an education, in my opinion, if you don't mind waiting for the impacted programs.

I tend to make a short story long so if you've read this this far...you're a real trooper. I must make a short comment though on FL. I don't think it's going to be 'all that and a bag of chips' for your needs. Find a roomate in Cali from the church you join so you are both on the same page because FL has alot of folks who are not going to be conducive to your lifestyle.

Lastly, I think you can swing LB because it does have good rentals due to the colleges . Good Luck!

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

I vote Cupertino. The weather is mild most of the year. You don't need air conditioning except for maybe 5-10 days/year. Surfing in Santa Cruz is driving distance. Winter isn't particularly cold, although every couple years there is an overnight "freeze".

Cupertino? It's a fairly expensive affluent suburb with little of interest for a single 20 year old working a retail job.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by valgal123

Okay, thanks everyone! Yeah florida looks bad for the fact that there are no jobs.

I'm back to looking into CA.

Whole foods in CA

Berkeley
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Oakland
Petaluma
Sacramento
San Diego
Santa Rosa

Keeping in mind that no place is going to fit your criteria perfectly, these are the places I'd consider. My criterial was a combination of weather, & how realistic it would be to be able to find a retail job & support yourself. Oakland/Berkeley wouldn't be your ideal weather, but warmer and drier than Seattle. If you live and work in Oakland/Berkeley, public transit is good enough to get by without a car, although I'd also invest in a bike.

Honestly though, I think you're going to need to figure out how to earn more than $20K per year. You'll really want to earn at least double that if you want to have a social life, your own (studio) apartment, and some savings. Otherwise, I don't think you'll be happy anywhere in CA over the long term.

[makeitagreatday]

...I worked one FT job and 2 PT jobs to live by my merry little self across from the ocean??? To me...it was well worth it but it did not take long to realize that if I cut back one PT job, I could further my education and be ahead in the long run.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by makeitagreatday

...I worked one FT job and 2 PT jobs to live by my merry little self across from the ocean??? To me...it was well worth it but it did not take long to realize that if I cut back one PT job, I could further my education and be ahead in the long run.

This is what often happens to people who move here without high paying jobs. They spend their whole lives working just to pay the rent and they never have the time to do the fun things they think they're going to do. I'm glad it worked out for you. But I think a lot of other people end up stuck in a vicious cycle.