Safe/Affordable Town?? (Riverside, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria: low income, section 8, 2010)

[lmckinne]

I am planning on moving to California in the next year or so.
My major concerns are safety and affordability.
I don't want to live in the city, but I want to be close enough to access it.
Being close to the beach is a must, within 45min would be nice.
A university or college must be near by as well.

But again, the most important things to me are safety and cost.
An area where a 2bdrm 1bath apt is no more than 1000 a month.

Thanks for all the help!

[bigdave01]

I would recommend Eureka or Arcata. Affordable and near the beach, although the water is cold.

[Woof]

I love Arcata, but I don't think there are any real beaches, are there? It's coastal but not the kind of place where you want to lounge by the ocean in a bathing suit. However it does satisfy your other criteria.

I can't think of any affordable smaller beach towns, maybe something inland from San Luis Obispo like Paso Robles? But I don't really know that area.

[nanannie]

We will be in the Arcata area to check out that very thing. Besides affordability and safety, the schools are decent and it seems to have an excellent quality of life. I am also looking at Fortuna which is a liitle more inland and the weather is supposed to be better.

[lmckinne]

Those towns look great, but I'd really rather be more towards Southern Cal. Any suggestions there?

I appreciate the help!

[humboldtrat]

Safe + affordable = expensive. You're not going to find a safe, affordable, near a beach, near a college area towards southern California for the amount of money you want to spend.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by lmckinne

I am planning on moving to California in the next year or so.
My major concerns are safety and affordability.
I don't want to live in the city, but I want to be close enough to access it.
Being close to the beach is a must, within 45min would be nice.
A university or college must be near by as well.

But again, the most important things to me are safety and cost.
An area where a 2bdrm 1bath apt is no more than 1000 a month.

Thanks for all the help!

I don't think you'll find a 2br apt for less than $1000 south of Eureka/Arcata/Mckinleyville. But you could try Craigslist, maybe you'll get lucky. If you could get on Section 8 low income housing where you are, you could transfer it to California after a year.

I just went from Arcata to Redwood National Forest on Sunday, checking out the various parks and beaches along the way. There ARE lots of nice beaches for walking, even one for driving vehicles on, north of Arcata. The water's too cold to actually swim in, at least for normal people - but Southern California beach swimming isn't much warmer on many days. If you're looking for warm beaches, the Gulf Coast and Hawaii are probably better places to look. The Gulf Coast is also much less expensive than the California Coast.

[humboldtrat]

On second thought, check out Riverside which has a UC campus. However, Riverside is probably more than 45 minutes from any beach, especially when you take in consideration the traffic in the LA area. I don't know the rental market in this area, but I don't think you'll find a 2 bedroom apt for "no more than 1000 a month". Good luck!

[Bearer~Of~Light]

Humboldt County sounds like JUST what you want. SAFE~Friendly and growing.
Tons of awesome beaches, and forests, good community, two great colleges in the beautiful redwoods, there is a city life, but not too crazy, and still lots of country areas.
Totally safe, good place for raising a family or feeling comfortable. Crime is just not an issue really, most exciting news around Humboldt is local pot (marijuana) busts.
But even that, the area is mellow and it just doesn't feel uptight in anyway.
No worries living there.
There is Willow Creek which is 45 minutes from the coast and has HOT awesome weather with all fours seasons. Not much work there or housing, but it's beautiful. And GROWING.
Trinidad is on the coast awesome beaches! And about 10-30min drive to cities/towns.
Fortuna is a little warmer too, but not as warm as willow creek. Then there is southern humboldt which is HOT and on the coast, sweet little communities, old time hippies and new age hippies.
Humboldt State University is an awesome college, check it out, Arcata is the little college town. Good people, and a nice growing community, yet still small and based on health and good standards. College of the Redwoods is the community college, beautiful campus, couldn't be in a more beautiful location in the forest, located closer to Fortuna/Ferndale and Eureka area.
There are other places all around I could suggest, if you seem to get interested in humboldt county area.
Rent is anywhere from $300 (for studio apartments) all the way through up to $400- $1000+ for apartments or houses depending on what you are looking for. There are also a lot of room rentals available too, if you find a good room mate or a few good roommates who are looking for another renter that's always an option done easily.
Great surfing, and really beautiful places. The weather is a little colder then you'd think of CA, but it's only getting warmer each year ( not sure that's a good thing). Summer's are nice, and some times are really hot, and winters are never very bad at all, no snow. The main problem (depends on what you like) is the fog, and sometimes lots of rain. It's nice in it's own way, but can get tiring day after day. That's why southern hum, or eastern hum are perfect spots not too far from big city Eureka yet still in the heat. All depends on what is most important to you though.
People do swim in the ocean, and surfing is big. It's cold, but builds health and makes you feel great. There are many wonderful things in humboldt. Going all the way through CA, I still find it to be the most beautiful and peaceful place in the state, there is NO better spot in CA. Just a little sad it's growing, since I liked the old little small town feeling, which is now gone for good.
But it's cheaper than anywhere else on the coast in CA, and it's the most beautiful, so it's win-win. Affordable and a friendly peaceful community, can't go wrong.
Let me know if I can be of further help.

[the city]

Nipomo, San Luis Obispo, or Santa Maria sounds like what you're looking for. But I'd go with Nipomo.

It's safe in Nipomo. And it's the fastest growing community in San Luis Obispo County. If it incorporates around 2010, then it's expected population will be at 50,000 population in 2025. And there's rumors of an open-air mall with Macy's and JcPenney's to be built in Canacha Ranch or on Los Barros Street. And you're only 15 minutes from the beach and a bigger suburb of 91,000 population.

The only downsides is a growing gang issue from the Nipas 13, growing traffic congestion, increase in tax for water, and growing poverty since it has an average hispanic demographic. The hispanic demographics is about the same as Santa Barbara.

This is in central california near San Luis Obispo and the college. and only 3 hours from southern california. and eureka is on the north coast, northern california. and there is a bunch of illegal drug makers over there.