Can you suggest a city ..? (Single moms come in here!) (Los Angeles: rent, homes)

[fort]

I see tons of people wanting to relocate to CA!! My reasons are completely different than most. But I am thinking since it is so expensive, maybe we could pair up and do it together! I am an older single mom to 1 child. Any other single moms want to message me and talk about it?

My reasons for wanting to relocate to CA are for services and programs for special needs children there that I can't get anywhere else.

Okay....suggest a city....what I want? Remember I know virtually nothing about CA, never been out West. So what I want may be impossible in CA. So don't laugh!

I want snow. Is there anywhere in CA that it snows?
No heat waves.
Cheap place to live (what about gov't housing based on income? is there none in a safe area?)
Safe!!
Prefer smaller towns--less traffic
Prefer 2 bedroom

Schools don't matter as I homeschool. Jobs do not matter either since I am a full time caregiver to my child.

[Charles]

So how do you plan on supporting yourself and your kid?
What might you expect to pay in rent or housing price range?
Where are your folks located (which I would presume would be invaluable)?

It snows in places generally above about 4000 feet.


Why California? I would think there are many other places that meet your requirements that aren't so expensive? Lots of inexpensive cities in the Midwest with snow, services for special needs kids, government services, safe.

[Think (Freedom)]

If you havent been to California and know nothing about it then why would you want to move there? Just curious. Most people that want to move there (like myself) have visited or have a job offer.

The poster above me is right.. there are lots of other cities that offer what you want, and are much less expensive. Have you considered Georgia? Atlanta is fairly populated but if you look into its suburbs you'll find that smaller town feel that youre looking for, for much less than anything in California. Just a suggestion.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Charles

Why California?

California's reputation for generous socialism has spread far and wide.

[gizmo980]

What about Truckee or South Lake Tahoe? It snows PLENTY, rarely sees a heat-wave, they're both small towns, fairly safe, and cheaper than the big cities (though still pricey). I lived in SLT for 2 years, and totally fell in love... only problem is the lack of opportunities, in terms of jobs and colleges. But if you can line up a decent job, it might be a good place for you!

[ExilefromCa]

I recommend Pico Rivera. It's one of the nicer suburbs of Los Angeles, with plenty of job opportunities and a healthy dash of culture. I think you'll enjoy raising your family there

[CaseyLF]

Big Bear area.

[DMenscha]

It snows and STICKS around 4000' We get one or two snow storms a year at the 2000' elevation. The perfect storm. Snows for 3 hours, clears up, take the pictures, 3 hours later it's gone and I didn't have to shovel any of it.

[Inthesierras]

I will tell you as a parent of a special needs child that you will want to skip smaller areas and move to a large city. I have a special needs child, but we are very lucky that she is so high functioning now. We live in a small area where services are hard to get. We have to do alot of traveling for certian medical services. Our school district cannot keep qualified staff for specialized services because we are so small and rural. Luckily the specialized services do not affect us, or it would be hard on us. If my child were not so high functioning, we would have moved without a doubt. You will find this is the case in many areas of Calif, north or south.

Depending on your childs disability will also help you decide where to move. DO you need to be close to a childrens hospital, Shriners, Regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities, etc? Remember, small towns = not much in the way of jobs. You will have an easier time in a larger area.

I also should warn you that being close to family is very important when you have a special needs child. Trying to do it all yourself is very difficult. My husband and I had no family nearby when our daughter was younger, it was hard. I cannot imagine doing it by myself and with no family nearby. The older yor child gets, the more issues might arise. Keep that in mind.