Where could a single mother of two boys get temporary housing? (Spokane: how much, motel) - Washington (WA) - City-Data Forum

Raelyn28 · 06-27-2010, 08:51 PM

Hi, I know some of you remember me. I used to live in Spokane and had to move to Oklahoma last August 2009. Well to make a very long story short, we have been here for about a year and our lives have literally fallen apart. My husband is moving once again out of state and we are getting divorced. I am feeling that a move back to Spokane would be the best choice for myself and my two boys. They miss the snowboarding, miss their friends, schools, etc.

The only problem is I would need a place to live and a way to get back. I am not sure how much furniture I will be moving back with and I don't have a job to go to. I suppose I will have child-support and alimony. I don't have any family to help and no friends here in Oklahoma.

I am not asking for hand-outs but for suggestions, direction or any information anyone has to offer. I really want to get back to Washington. I miss it very much.

Thanks for your help

Spokanejobseeker · 06-28-2010, 01:11 AM

Spokane might not be the happy play land it was before for you. I'm assuming your soon to be ex-husband is a six figure healthcare manager that's going to where he needs to right now to advance his career. Not knowing how much alimony you are going to get,and the fact that Washington state max child support for out of state non-custodial parents was $800/mo the last I checked, you probably aren't going to have the same quality of life you had here before. Most jobs pay low wages here and the cost of living isn't that low when you aren't getting paid much to begin with. I'd say you are already in a great city. You might not like the atmosphere there but I'd bet that OKC has more opportunity for you than Spokane does.

I will say that I thought there was a program here where the state pays for your housing, childcare, and pays for you to go to school.

Count David · 06-28-2010, 06:38 AM

If you have enough money to get to Spokane with the bare essentials, and enough to afford a weekly motel (as low as $150) you could at least get there. And I know this isn't the best suggestion, but contacting DSHS might not be a bad idea when you arrive. As I'm sure you know, WA is very liberal when it comes to that sort of thing.

Good luck and I'll keep you in my thoughts.

coastalsteelheader · 07-06-2010, 01:35 AM

Why the hell do you want to come here when you don't have a job and it sounds like things are in a spiral? If you have a job waiting for you, or family who have the means to put you up for a while then fine, but if you don't your gonna be skrewed big time.
This state is about to go bankrupt like California, with little or no hope of an economic recovery in the immediate future. When the SHTF here in a few months (there is talk of 12 thousand state employees given their walking papers) the drain on our resources and the 12000 other unemployed to compete with is going be the straw that breaks the camels back.
My advice is stay there and make the best of it.

coastalsteelheader · 07-06-2010, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

If you have enough money to get to Spokane with the bare essentials, and enough to afford a weekly motel (as low as $150) you could at least get there. And I know this isn't the best suggestion, but contacting DSHS might not be a bad idea when you arrive. As I'm sure you know, WA is very liberal when it comes to that sort of thing.

Good luck and I'll keep you in my thoughts.

I'm all for helping her and others too, but DSHS is already overburdened with illegals and other slackers to the point that a person who has fallen on hard times has little chance of getting the help they deserve. There is talk of up to 12k state employees be given notice in the next few months, and most of them will come directly from DSHS and Worksource. When this happens Washington will not be the place to be if your out of work or in need of help.

Raelyn28 · 07-26-2010, 07:03 PM

You don't need to be rude with your response. I don't have a job here either, and I am thinking of the better place to raise my boys. I have friends and a loving church there and nobody here. Geez, why are you so negative about Spokane??? Do you not like it there???

Quote:

Originally Posted by coastalsteelheader

Why the hell do you want to come here when you don't have a job and it sounds like things are in a spiral? If you have a job waiting for you, or family who have the means to put you up for a while then fine, but if you don't your gonna be skrewed big time.
This state is about to go bankrupt like California, with little or no hope of an economic recovery in the immediate future. When the SHTF here in a few months (there is talk of 12 thousand state employees given their walking papers) the drain on our resources and the 12000 other unemployed to compete with is going be the straw that breaks the camels back.
My advice is stay there and make the best of it.

Spokanejobseeker · 07-27-2010, 08:25 AM

What's wrong with Oklahoma City? Spokane is a nice slow paced town, with nice scenery but the ugly truth is it is not a booming economy even in good times. I have a four year degree, my leadership and management experience as an officer in the Army and I still make less than $45 K a year here in Spokane almost five years after graduating college. I'm leaving to a bigger, thriving city. You are already in a bigger, thriving city. You didn't know anyone when you moved to Spokane either and you found a church and friends. I'm willing to bet you could do the same in OKC.

Without a job and having children to take care of Spokane would be a struggle. It's a struggle for me and I have a "good" job for Spokane. And as far as raising children here I feel with all the mental illness in the northwest, children fair much better elsewhere. I didn't grow up depressed or schizophrenic, but I bet if I was from here I would have some sort of depression at least. Lack of Vitamin D I tell you. I hope you find what you are looking for, but Spokane will not be the same for you.

Count David · 07-27-2010, 09:05 AM

I believe she lives in Tulsa, not OKC.

Spokanejobseeker · 07-27-2010, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I believe she lives in Tulsa, not OKC.

You are right! I would say Tulsa would have more to offer than Spokane though. It's a much larger city and probably has employment opportunities that offer salaries that more closely resemble the cost of living there where Spokane has low cost of living and even lower paying jobs.

Opyelie · 07-27-2010, 01:17 PM

Not true - I was in Tulsa in '07 and couldn't wait to get back to Spokane. The min wage in OK is far lower than in WA as well and wages in general reflect that. About the only thing that was less pricy in Tulsa than Spokane was gas (at the time anyway).

I made it back with less than $20 in my pocket, but had friends and family here, unlike Tulsa where I only knew one person (not as well I thought, but that's another story).

There IS help and assistance here for someone with dependants, not much for those without though. If you don't have kids under 18, you're pretty much on your own.

I can totally understand Rae wanting to return to Spokane (podunk city tho it may be at times) even with the current economy/job market.

Rae if you have a way of getting back I'd do it. As to your original question though, I wouldn't count on help in that regard from DSHS etc - the waiting lists here are pretty long, even to get ON the list can take a while.