Bike-friendly, New Agey, liberal, beachy/foresty town with $400/month rooms? (Santa Rosa: for rent, crime)

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by alexxiz

Sorry, new-agey AND cheap rent AND no trashy-shady-ghetto AND nice climate/not air polluted AND not drug capital.... this train is gone. Guess what mostly pays for "new agey" lifestyle in "chill towns", other than mom and dad's money? Warm, forest-y, nice mild climate conductive to bike riding, low crime location...pretty damn desirable stuff by entire world's and US population...and that population tends to have enough money to make $400/month room a fading dream.

Yup. I was gonna suggest Bolinas, which is about as new-agey and liberal and beachy and foresty as you can get around here, but I'm sure it would be impossible to spend just $400 on rent unless you are prepared to become VERY well acquainted with your housemates. For example:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/apa/3514294637.html

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

I don't really want to live anywhere with more rain, fog, snow or cold than Santa Cruz. The hotter the better...
I'm hesitant to live further than 3 miles from a nice beach, and being within 3 miles of beautiful forest is almost as important to me.

I'm always amused when people don't seem to get the nexus between climate and plant biomes. If you want forests, you will have to put up with significant rain and overcast. The amount of photosynthesis it takes to create the colossal amount of biomass in those forests requires huge amounts of water. If you want sun and warm temperatures...with the corresponding reduction in water availability... you'll have to learn to see the beauty in chaparral, sagelands (pine/juniper scrub at higher elevations) or desert. More arid climates are more comfortable for human habitation, but not for large plants. Climate or plantscape? Pick one.

Eugene, OR sounds as if it might be a good fit, but if Santa Cruz represents your minimum threshold for rain/chill/overcast, you will not find anything north of that latitude that is suitable. Santa Fe and Austin might be possibilities, but they are both an oasis of modern thought within states that are otherwise not what you're looking for. Tucson was a nice city, but is well past its prime, in my view (Austin as well). Chico and Davis are two Sacramento Valley college towns that are predominantly warm and sunny, but with winters that are cooler and more overcast than Santa Cruz. But I think a college town might be the best bet for your interests.

This has been said a number of time before, but it comes down to this: there are 312 million people in this country. If you want what everybody else wants, you'll have plenty of competition. That means the places with nice weather and a progressive vibe are going to be both crowded and expensive. There are no "undiscovered jewels" left. The more money you have, the closer you can come to getting everything on your wish list. If you want someplace that's less expensive you'll have to decide what shortcomings you can most easily put up with.

[SLA74]

Hi NatureYogi!

Sounds like you could be describing me! I adore Sonoma County and it would definitely fit your bill. You could also probably find what you're looking for in your preferred price range (although options are more limited). Sebastopol would probably be ideal for you...I'd live there myself if I could afford it, but since I'm already married and have a kid, it's much harder to find affordable housing that fulfills my requirements. Since you only want to rent a room you definitely have more flexibility in that regard. Just out of curiosity I looked on CL for the Santa Rosa/Sebastopol area and found stuff in your price range...someone actually just posted a few days ago a private room for rent in Sebastopol for $400/mo and that person self-described as being into "yoga, music, dancing, art, love great conversations, laughter, walks in nature and helping out in the community."

As someone who has already settled down but is still into all the things you are, I think this area is ideal for raising families as it has a totally grounded side in addition to all the stuff that makes it appealing.

Good luck to you!

[jkbatca]

I know I've just posted this, but I still think Ojai would be a good fit and at least you should visit...

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

1) RENT:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

Pretty easy to rent a safe, comfy studio, 1-bedroom, or room in shared home (NOT a shared room like all of Berkeley seems to do!!) for under $500/month.

Apparently you already looked on Craigslist, but for the list of criteria you've mentioned, you probably will not move anywhere with the criteria for under $500/month + all the other things you're looking for.

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

2) JOBS:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

I have some internet-based jobs I can do from anywhere with my laptop and phone, so am not too worried about depressed and overly competitive economies. I did try a long time to get a side-job here in Santa Cruz (server, bookstore, grocery store, whatever) but even with a great resume and polished interviews found it too hard so gave up. And I realize that's the situation in many other cities right now. That's okay. Though I do like living in cities with paying Swedish-Reiki massage clients and space decluttering clients (which I figure are in any city but especially cities where holistic/alternative self-care is popular). I can adjust my rates to be appropriate for the city.

Ojai is a bit small town and questionable on jobs. If you can get a job in Ventura, that may work out. Otherwise can't help you there.

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

3) CULTURE:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

New Agey, liberal, friendly, earth-friendly/sustainable, free-spirited/expressive, nature-loving, holistic, alternative sorta culture...the stuff I've already mentioned above that I'm into. Using the word "hippie" maybe isn't too helpful here since I've seen that spark discussions/debates on this forum about weed and what a "real hippie" is or isn't and pros/cons of being liberal and the homeless, etc. I don't really want people going into all that here, please. What I'm looking for is what I've described, whether someone would label that "hippie" or not. Also, I don't personally use drugs or alcohol anymore so this is so not about me wanting a city with great weed. Cities where my sorta interests are popular seem to always have lots of weed and other drugs in them. I don't love that but am also used to it. It's okay.

This is why I've mentioned Ojai twice, this town has new age culture by the truck full. This town defines new age. Just visit and see for yourself.

Just how new age is this town? No chain restaurants, drive ins, big box stores, etc. by city planning, just local stores ONLY! This town has quite the small town feel.

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

4) WEATHER/GEOGRAPHY:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

Santa Cruz has very nice, beachy summer weather. Its rainy, overcast, snowless fall/winter is okay (beats Chicago's and DC's!!!), though I so, so, so prefer summer. I don't really want to live anywhere with more rain, fog, snow or cold than Santa Cruz. The hotter the better. I adore that both beaches and beautiful Redwood forest hikes are within 3 miles (I'm a 15-minute bike ride from the beach). I'm hesitant to live further than 3 miles from a nice beach, and being within 3 miles of beautiful forest is almost as important to me. I do not want to live Midwest or East Coast (except for some exceptions like maybe Colorado, North Carolina or Florida).

A bit warm and toasty in the summer, pleasant in fall and spring with some rain in the winter.

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

5) CALIFORNIA:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

I'm open to living outside California, especially if it's just for 3-5 months. But California is best because for any other state I'd have to get more massage training before I can legally offer paid massage. I can't yet afford more massage training. Having to turn down potential paying massage clients would really suck. But just 3-5 months of that could be worth the sacrifice for the right city. (I'd still do massage-for-massage trades to keep my massage skills fresh.) California is also where Big Sur, Oakland/Berkeley ecstatic dance and contact improv, Harbin Hot Springs, Yosemite and many of my friends are.

See map :-)

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

6) LONG-TERM:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

Feels less overwhelming to commit to just 3-5 months somewhere for now. But I don't necessarily want to keep moving to a new city each year. Would love to be married with kid(s) and settled in a city that feels really right by age 36. It's 2013 and I'm 29. So finding a city that I could commit to and feel comfy raising a family in for 5 years or so would be great. Plus the longer I stay in a city the more massage/decluttering/nutrition regular clients I get. It may take some little 6-month stints in various little "hippie" towns to find my fit though.

??? Cant help you there.

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

7) BIKE-FRIENDLY:

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

Ideally all of these within 1.5 miles (safer, less steep and prettier the bike ride the better, and bike co-ops helpful): farmer's market, yoga studio, ecstatic dance, beach, bike/hike/run trail

Has major bike trail all the way from Ojai to Ventura. Small town so easy to navigate by bike. Only traffic on main road, and I've ridden that by road bike. This place supports bikes very much! Plus weather is great for biking all year around. Also, is located right next to a national forest (Los Padres, you can walk to trails from town), so tons of hiking + mountain biking.

Originally Posted by NatureYogi

IN CONCLUSION:

Visit Ojai (at least)! And I don't even live there, but it sounds like a great fit for you.

[NatureYogi]

Originally Posted by alexxiz

Sorry, new-agey AND cheap rent AND no trashy-shady-ghetto AND nice climate/not air polluted AND not drug capital.... this train is gone. Guess what mostly pays for "new agey" lifestyle in "chill towns", other than mom and dad's money? Warm, forest-y, nice mild climate conductive to bike riding, low crime location...pretty damn desirable stuff by entire world's and US population...and that population tends to have enough money to make $400/month room a fading dream. If you want to roll in Santa Barbara, your best bet might be finding live-in-work stable situation, where you wouldn't have to pay rent.

I totally appreciate you sharing your opinion, but seems it might be a little exaggerated / overly pessimistic, cause like I said, scanning through Craigslist home/room rentals, I see for example:

* Ojai: $450-900
* Ventura: $300-850
* Ashland: $300-800
* Arcata: $280-800
* Austin: tons of $200-400 options

Of course I'm finding others are too expensive (Santa Barbara, Carmel, Pacific Grove, Ocean Beach...), but that's okay. Haven't checked on Taos, Santa Fe or Vancouver prices yet. Still no clue if Mendocino are would be bike-friendly enough.

That being said, the link about Arcata shared above really has me rethinking if Arcata is safe enough. Arcata = weed capitol of U.S., Santa Cruz = heroin capitol of California? Hmm

[NatureYogi]

Oh whoops, didn't even notice all the new posts before I just posted my last comment... reading through them now.... wow, so many responses, awesome, awesome! Thanks!

[NatureYogi]

Originally Posted by TrueTimbers

Austin is a good suggestion... But why the attack? Because one is "open-minded, liberal and free thinking" does not mean one does not have criteria?.... For example to be in a place where one is not ridiculed or laughed at for considering oneself "free thinking, open minded and liberal" is a priority for many....

It is draining to live in places where the majority does not share your viewpoint on life, a real drag on ones personal/spiritual growth if you will.......

How does the saying go?

Birds of a feather flock together...

Haha, practically word-for-word what I was gonna say. It's very exciting that we all have the opportunity to create the life and environment for ourselves that feels most supportive and lets us best shine our authentic true colors. It's a sign of wisdom and self-esteem to shoot for that instead of settling for any old friends and city and job, etc., that come along. Feels empowered and more high-vibration. Recommended. Have tried living other ways and got me in some veryyy dark places in the past. Anyway, moving on

[NatureYogi]

* Turns out Arcata has less crime than Santa Cruz actually. Two of my friends confirmed this as do these statistics: compare crime statistics arcata, ca to santa cruz, ca - Wolfram|Alpha By the way, Santa Cruz feels plenty safe for me after living in DC and Chicago and spending time in Baltimore and San Fran. So Arcata being even safer is brownie points for Arcata...and I hear Trinidad near it is even safer and beautiful. Though thinking through if the weather would annoy me too much.

* That's a very strong vote for Ojai!!! Will look into it closer. And nearby Ventura too.

* Eureka Springs, Arizona, huh? Will look into it. The liberal little cities within Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are within pretty conservative states though, huh? So maybe California and Oregon make more sense for me to live in. And again, California is the best choice for pretty important reasons including massage laws.

* No, I definitely don't wanna live in Portland. I've been to Portland. Great place but too big a city for me right now (sounds like Austin is just as big, huh, so maybe that's a thumb's down for Austin). And too gloomy of weather - MAYBE. I've heard mixed answers on how rainy Portland is or isn't. "Cold" is relative and I did grow up in Maryland, couldn't stand Chicago winter, and don't consider Santa Cruz winter cold (though I don't love its rain and fog). The more sun the better for me. I had fun visiting Eugene but remember thinking I wouldn't want to live there and it was rainy and dark.

* Vancouver sounds really fresh, like-minded and beautiful (and living there under 6 months would I think avoid the US-to-Canada complications - though I doubt I could legally offer massage there, which, again is okay for 5 months though not ideal). Mixed info on how sunny/foggy/rainy Vancouver is too.

* Would someone accurately compare Vancouver, Ashland, Arcata, Sebastopol/Santa Rosa, and Ojai/Ventura's weather to Santa Cruz? Maybe instead of my ideal being "within 3 miles of both beach and forest," I meant "within 3 miles of beach and within like 6 miles of forest." Point is I'm a tiny bike ride from beach and tiny car ride from forest here in Santa Cruz and love that.

* Think Boulder sounds too far and landlocked for now but good to know it's warmer than I assumed!!

* By the way, sorry if my use of blanket terms like "too rich" or "Silicon Valley workaholics" or "lots of drugs," etc., offend anyone. Just trying to describe areas I prefer and don't prefer. It's totally fine if someone makes a lot of money or works a lot or uses drugs or whatever. Just have certain situations that I thrive in more than others.

[Carlite]

Originally Posted by alexxiz

The chill and wonderful Santa Cruz is only able to exist in the state it is now and be hip, "free" and all that because of 1) drug money from weed growing and being "heroin capital" 2) upper middle class' mom and dad's money poured in due to parents sending their kiddies to local school 3) Silicone Valley lowly workaholics' money coming in 4) "rich" retirees and tourists. It's these $$ that pay for the "lifestyle". You don't want workaholics, "rich", "drugs" and "shady trash" that lives off drug dealing in program 8 apartments and want cheap rent, you'd likely have to go to Midwest or South.

Other than mentioning some towns with some of the most expensive real estate in the nation (guess how people are going to pay these mortgages?) have you considered Portland, OR?

I realize it's not really on topic, but this post makes no sense to me. If there's a lot of invisible/illicit money coming into Santa Cruz or any other town, it would make rents more expensive, not cheaper. There would be more money chasing the housing. I'm not particularly eager to live in the Santa Cruz counterculture, but this isn't how it works. More money coming in could support more retailers, perhaps "hobby" businesses that aren't particularly profitable, though having those doesn't seem like such a terrible thing. Money like this coming in would also create more jobs, which also doesn't seem like a bad thing.

[NatureYogi]

Santa Rosa: $700-1,400, so too expensive for now
Sebastopol: just one $850 listing, so no

Good point about the average of all a city's Craigslist listings being more accurate a gauge than just the range. But I'm not gonna take the time to add up all the listings in one or more city. If when scanning a city's listings I roughly see for example three $200 listings, 14 $400 listings, 10 $600 listings and five $800 listings I've tried to list the range as $300-750, not as $200-800, so it's slightly more representative of the average.