Best and Worst about Living in SLO?? (San Diego, Berkeley: apartment, home)

[stellar9]

Originally Posted by californiaboy

My wife and I lived in SLO for three years. We didn't like it. VERY FEW jobs, no sophisticated shopping, high cost of living, and a lot of crime. Happy to be in OC now.

Over the past 16 years, I have rented homes in SLO, AG, Santa Margarita and Atascadero and the only thing I can relate to is the high cost of living. The job issue could be true for you depending on what you do for a living.

The only reason we are considering leaving this little piece of paradise is that my husband and I want a chance to buy a home before retirement age and we don't have much time left.

Micki

[kansaslady]

Okay, so I'm stuck here in KS with Dorothy and her silly dog Todo....oh well, could be worse off...I could be stuck in Needles, CA....Ha ha!

katie

[LDDiamondGirl]

Hi, I thought you might be interested in knowing this. Last year I bought tickets to a concert at the Mission in SLO. After seeing the beautiful Mission in Santa Barbara I couldn't wait to go. I left after 10 minutes of being seated in there. Not only was it hot and uncomfortable inside, but the whole place is just one big homeless hang out. The grounds are gross, dirty and unmaintained. The building is falling apart. The filth and rubbish on the grass and walkways were awful, and speaking of "urine" smells..............the entire bathroom is really just a graffiti stained outhouse for the street people. I wouldn't dare take one of my visiting friends there for any community "events", except fund raising for the homeless maybe. Of course this is a college town, and kids are fine with all this. But we are not kids, I am not in college, and I, personally, find it unbelievable that I could read about someone objecting to homeless people begging in Santa Barbara when right here smack dab in the center of the downtown is this shabby, awful dirty park where community events are being promoted. Doesn't make any sense to me.

[grimstuff]

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

I, personally, find it unbelievable that I could read about someone objecting to homeless people begging in Santa Barbara when right here smack dab in the center of the downtown is this shabby, awful dirty park where community events are being promoted. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Well, it looks like your first impression really negatively impacted you. I don't know if I can dissuade you from holding on to your opinion, but it's really not that bad. You were offended by the public bathrooms - have you used many public bathrooms in the world? I know it can be shocking to see the entire spectrum of society, including the homeless (*gasp*). The homeless have a right to exist, and public space is, essentially, their living space. A half a block away from the mission plaza you were so shocked by, there is an old (I assume homeless) man who sits on a bench all day. Everytime I walk by there he is always sitting there. He never has asked me for money.
It might help to realize that most people who are homeless and live on the streets have some sort of cognitive disibility, and public space is their living space.

(btw, most public bathrooms smell of urine - lol)

[LDDiamondGirl]

Grimstuff...

You make me sound like I should switch names with you !

Well, I don't mean to sound so "grim." But, I and my husband and the friends I have taken there from other cities agree........the downtown SLO Mission IS that bad. My husband who is much more tolerant than I of these kinds of things was grossed out. I'm sorry, but, no, I haven't been to many public bathrooms like that because I don't go to places that have them anymore. I don't usually go to Venice Beach bathrooms, or Gas station bathrooms out in the middle of nowhere. Today one does not have to. There are plenty of places around that are clean today. The modern world in this country is getting cleaner and cleaner, if you just look around at the best places to live. That is why you heard such utter surprise and shock in my post. This is not Venice Beach. The Mission is right in the middle of Downtown. And it is promoted constantly as a place for community events. If I said it once, I'll say it again. I consider the state of this Mission to be a testament to the low standards in this community. Especially a community which is trying to attract tourists.

[NATHALIEH]

thanks

[bherron80]

I live in the Bay Area and SLO and Paso Robles have low cost of living, rent, and home prices comparitively to where I'm at. I've been looking for many months at what I can get there vs the Bay Area and North Bay. So this is all dependant upon where you are coming from. When you move from Napa, Sonoma, Berkeley or Oakland rent seems cheap in SLO for what you can get. Really cheap in Paso. Compared in San Francisco, it's even bigger difference.

Saying someone can't buy a home in SLO unless they already own one, is a tad pessimistic. The homes are prohibitively expensive everywhere where it's nice to live, in California. SLO is not worse than other pretty areas. I agree the homes are someone high, but Homes where I live in
Sonoma/Napa and where I was living (SF) are far higher...

If you're coming from out of state these could seem abs insane. If you are a Californian from a nice area, they aren't surprising. Somehow people still scrimp and save and figure out how to buy homes. I'm not saying everyone can afford one. I certanly can't and it might be decades before I can, but many people I know are buying, own already, or will be buying. Many of them make much more money than I do and are in couples so have double the income.

I'm planning on moving down to SLO for grad school for a few years and am looking forward to the lower rent (for me), and the proximity to all of the gorgeous beach spots. I work in the wine industry and have plenty of experience so for me the job scene is a bit brighter since it's so close to a significant wine region

B

[marcopolo666]

I am curious. Why did you respond to a thread that was started in 2006, and silent since? Certainly, people can use new information, but why (and how) did you pick this thread for your first post?

[the city]

Worst: Most of the residents in SLO didn't grow up in SLO County, the rowdy college kids, and the high cost of living price for an inland city

Best: The downtown, farmers market, lots of culture, and lots of hiking trails

If I can't own a home there I won't live there. Look at Arroyo Grande or Nipomo if you want to own. All though, you may find living in south county you won't to visit SLO and will enjoy the coastal towns better. I sure do!

[Mr R]

I had the Pleasure of living in SLO County for about 8 months back in 2007-8. SLO it self is a College town and half of it's residents are only there for 5 years then a new group. I love the fact that SLO County in general is sprawl resistant. It's a tough place to start over, it depends on what you do for a living I suppose. Aside from the college kids most folk I come to know have lived there all their life. Also many of their people are small business owners and are self employed.

SLO or SLO County being expensive, its all relative, if your from San Francisco, or NYC it's cheap, if your from Rochchester NY or Phoenix AZ, it's expensive.

If you like Perfect Weather, Wine, Good Food, Art, Good Mountain Biking and Hiking, little traffic then your gonna love it. It's not one of those places that is gonna adapt to you you must adapt to it.