Black Lesbian Marijuana Enthusiasts considering on Relocation (Portland, Eugene: apartments, rental)

[blazetaylor]

Hello there everyone. I am seeking advice on moving to the Portland area. We are two lesbians, one mixed (black & Filipino) and one Haitian. We are in our mid 20s. We both have a more alternative look- tattoos, piercings etc. We are considering Denver or Portland. Maybe somewhere in California, but we know we cant afford that. We are both from Atlanta, we like the big city but we also like the quiet of the suburbs. One of the big reasons for the move other than needing to be somewhere new (we've both been in Ga all our lives), we want to be in a state that has legalized recreational marijuana. Therefore i have a few questions:

1. How bad is the racism in Portland? Between citizens and the police? We are coming from a highly populated black city so we are pretty comfortable here despite there still being racism in Atlanta. Will we be comfortable in Portland? Do the police target the colored?

2. Are there a lot of roaches? There's a lot in Atlanta, no matter what- should we still prepare for that?

3. Is it difficult to find housing that allows smoking inside or on the porch? What about allowing dogs? Or should we assume we can only use like vape pens in our apartment? Are there a lot of one to two bedroom apartments for rent?

4. What is the job market for personal trainers (especially ones starting out) and also for cda certified teachers (without a BA)?

5. Are there delivery options besides uber eats or grub hub but other starter delivering systems? Is there a demand for food delivery in the portland area?

6. Is it easy to make friends? I know the city is very nature centered, which isn't a problem for me. However for my girlfriend she doesn't care to be outdoors a lot. Are there good options for her; like a great music scene?

7. Anything else I should know?

Thank you to anyone who takes there time to answer this very long post haha

[oregonwoodsmoke]

You probably won't have any problem fitting yourselves in to Portland or Eugene. A couple of things, though. The state of Oregon has an anti-tobacco culture. Your chances of renting an apartment that allows smoking are very small. LandlIords generally don't allow smoking or vaping, in the buildings or anywhere on the grounds. Oregon has a specific law that allows landlords to declare an entire rental and surrounds to be non-smoking. It is illegal to smoke on the sidewalk near business entrances.

You are going to find that rents are high and hard to secure. There are two many people trying to secure very few available units.

Renting with dogs can be difficult and there are specific breeds of dog who are going to make it impossible to rent.

[PNW-type-gal]

You need to visit and see for yourself, from YOUR perspective. I suspect your biggest issues will be nos 1, 3, 4, 6. Atlanta is more than 50% black to Portland's 8%, plus the city of Atlanta and its suburbs has more people than the entire state of Oregon.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by blazetaylor

Maybe somewhere in California, but we know we cant afford that.

Actually, much of California is quite reasonable in price. Some parts, even cheap.

When you say "somewhere" in California, do you mean anywhere, so long as it's in state? California is a huge state, with many cheap areas.

Or do you mean of the pricey cities (e.g., San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Carmel, etc.)?

Actually, even Los Angeles has cheap areas. The pricey areas are in the hills or along the coast. Naturally, some of the cheap areas aren't very nice. But if you want to live in L.A. on a budget, you might look into the northeast valley, the gateway cities, or the basin area.

And if you're open to anywhere in the state, I hear Fresno and Bakersfield (in central California) are reasonably priced. The Inland Empire (San Bernardino being the largest IE city) is cheap. So are the eastern cities in L.A. county (e.g., Pomona). And the desert cities like Hemet and Barstow. Although some of those places might be too small and dull for you.

It's a big state, with many cheap areas. Mostly inland, away from the beaches.

If price is the only consideration for staying away from California, you might first want to learn more in the California forum.

[dtuba]

Might I jump in here and suggest Tacoma, WA? I can't comment on the racism as I am a straight white male, but apartments here are cheaper than Seattle (and Portland) and are more pet friendly than some other communities I've lived in.

Tacoma is definitely herb-friendly and possibly tobacco friendly as well ( there are more smokers here than in Seattle or Bellevue). Plus, it's just plain friendlier IMHO.


No roaches to speak of. Some live music.


Sorry to hijack the Portland boards.