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Thanks to @tg9999 for the detailed post and to others for replies. Those are some interesting perspectives, indeed.
We know San Diego well, as we lived there in the late 1980s and still go there on vacation every few years. Yet we feel the need to live in a smaller city where the traffic is less intense. We are near 70 now, and freeway and city driving don't get easier with age.
We plan to visit SLO and Monterey.
Regarding bikes and cars: The city of Portland also has encouraged bikes and transit use, and the city has reduced parking requirements for new apartment buildings to about 1 space per 4 apartments -- despite studies that show 1.87 cars per apartment (about 7.5 per 4 apartments) on average. The result has been that adjacent single-family neighborhoods are lined with cars, sometimes so many that homeowners have to park blocks away. While no one has a right to a spot in front of their house, the character of those neighborhoods has changed markedly. It is a delusion that hordes of people want to live in W Coast cities without cars. Unlike in Manhattan, the draw here is often natural spaces that are not well reached by any method other than a car. Besides which, who wants to do grocery shopping in the cold rain by bus and walking?
Last edited by Mike-NC; 05-16-2017 at 01:40 PM..
Reason: Clarity
The City spent a lot of money adding a few bike lanes, and really tried to publicize them, but they never really caught on, which was disappointing given there's such a young population in SLO relative to the rest of California. There are a few bus lines, but most of the time during the day the buses are only 1/4 full. And they are really empty at night. People in SLO --- young or old --- love their cars.
Honestly, I'd rather compromise and get a motorized bike for stuff around town. I suppose people like to have cars for weekend getaways. Whatever happened to cheap weekend rentals (Enterprise) and the car-sharing outfits? I guess those only serve major metro areas? It's this attachment to cars that causes the crushing traffic in many areas. Even the Monterey Bay area is clogged.
I find it interesting that the young people you describe as not being able to afford their own apartments, and can only do house shares, can all afford cars, car insurance, gas, and the whole ball of wax.
Honestly, I'd rather compromise and get a motorized bike for stuff around town. I suppose people like to have cars for weekend getaways. Whatever happened to cheap weekend rentals (Enterprise) and the car-sharing outfits? I guess those only serve major metro areas? It's this attachment to cars that causes the crushing traffic in many areas. Even the Monterey Bay area is clogged.
I find it interesting that the young people you describe as not being able to afford their own apartments, and can only do house shares, can all afford cars, car insurance, gas, and the whole ball of wax.
You make good points in your first paragraph and I agree with many of them.
But your 2nd paragraph is based upon on a false assumption. A large percentage of the college kids and junior college kids who drive cars in SLO did not pay for their cars --- their parents did, especially the kids who drive newer, expensive cars --- and there's a ton of those. Parents of Cal Poly students regularly buy HOUSES for their kids during their college years, the kids use the houses as party houses and rent the extra rooms to other students. The parents then turn the parents turn the properties into a long-term rental after their kid graduates and leaves, further exacerbating the rental problem in SLO.
The point I was trying to make in my original post is that parking has become a nightmare problem in SLO, because there are too many single renters packed into small rental houses like sardines, and they have too many cars for the parking spaces available, especially downtown where many of the homes were built before 1910 and do not have garages, as well as all the neighborhoods near Cal Poly.
Not saying this is BS - but it is certainly over the top. That said, true SLO won't have the degree of cultural events the OP is used to.
Monterey and Santa Barbara are both probably better choices. But both are more expensive. Especially SB. An option for SB, however, could be Carpinteria, just south of SB a hop skip and jump.
Surprised at the OP's reticence for San Diego. Would expect that to have been the shoe that fits. Perhaps an 'off' trip didnt show well. Reconsideration might be wise.
Not sure if my post was "over the top," but I am sure that it was 100% accurate. I have heard the same from many SLO homeowners who have sold in the last few years.
Bottom line: there is an unhealthy percentage of young renters in SLO. They cause parking, noise and other problems in the downtown residential district, and in all neighborhoods around the university. (For a good example, see SLO mayor takes aim at partygoers after roof collapse | The Tribune ). These problems have caused huge numbers of owner-occupier homeowners to sell and leave for good.
I think Shell Beach, Avila Beach, Arroyo Grande and parts of Pismo would be better for a retiree looking to re-locate to San Luis Obispo County. Further north, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Carmel Valley and parts of Monterey are wonderful, and have more of the things the OP mentioned he was looking for in his original post.
If you'd like to see the beauty of Oregon without the extremes, you might want to look up here in the Santa Cruz mountains (Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton). Winters can be harsh on occasion, but summers are breathtaking.
It's one of the most beautiful places in California. Come up and have a look, it might be what you're looking for.
You make good points in your first paragraph and I agree with many of them.
But your 2nd paragraph is based upon on a false assumption. A large percentage of the college kids and junior college kids who drive cars in SLO did not pay for their cars --- their parents did, especially the kids who drive newer, expensive cars --- and there's a ton of those. Parents of Cal Poly students regularly buy HOUSES for their kids during their college years, the kids use the houses as party houses and rent the extra rooms to other students. The parents then turn the parents turn the properties into a long-term rental after their kid graduates and leaves, further exacerbating the rental problem in SLO.
The point I was trying to make in my original post is that parking has become a nightmare problem in SLO, because there are too many single renters packed into small rental houses like sardines, and they have too many cars for the parking spaces available, especially downtown where many of the homes were built before 1910 and do not have garages, as well as all the neighborhoods near Cal Poly.
This sounds like the Chinese college students with wealthy parents in China, who buy condos for their kids at Berkeley and UCLA.
Not sure if my post was "over the top," but I am sure that it was 100% accurate. I have heard the same from many SLO homeowners who have sold in the last few years.
Bottom line: there is an unhealthy percentage of young renters in SLO. They cause parking, noise and other problems in the downtown residential district, and in all neighborhoods around the university. (For a good example, see SLO mayor takes aim at partygoers after roof collapse | The Tribune ). These problems have caused huge numbers of owner-occupier homeowners to sell and leave for good.
I think Shell Beach, Avila Beach, Arroyo Grande and parts of Pismo would be better for a retiree looking to re-locate to San Luis Obispo County. Further north, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Carmel Valley and parts of Monterey are wonderful, and have more of the things the OP mentioned he was looking for in his original post.
Its over the top because SLO is a college town more than anything else. That is its prime identity. Those things you describe are common to college towns. SLO also has the reputation for being "the Happiest Town in America." A title well applied. So the solution to enjoying its remarkable ambiance is to not live as a retiree in the collge and adjacent neighborhoods. And there's also Morro Bay and Los Osos and Cayucos even closer than Pismo, Avila, and Arroyo. Morro and Los Osos are very retirement demographic, and within 12 miles of central SLO and as such they are as close as lots of Portland neighborhoods to their downtown.
But agreed on Carmel and Monterey having even more of what the OP described as interests.
To the original poster:
Sorry for the late response, I just saw your thread. For retirees like you SLO would not be a good choice.
Short version: Too many young renters, too many poorly maintained properties, too much litter, disintegrating neighborhoods, etc.
Shell Beach, Pismo Beach and Avila Beach, just south of SLO would be much better choices for you, and you would still only be 10 - 15 minutes away from SLO's shops and restaurants.
Long version: We owned a beautiful, well-maintained Victorian downtown for years, but we eventually moved in our 50's for the same reason most homeowners have moved away from SLO over the last 30 years --- it has been taken over by renters, and in particular young renters. SLO has one of the highest rental rates in California. (And that doesn't even take into account the large numbers of properties in SLO where the homeowner lives on the premises, but also rents out a room or a guest house to a tenant.) The rental situation is particularly bad downtown, which used to be one of the nicest areas of the city to live in.
Not all young renters in SLO are bad neighbors, but a much higher percentage of them are bad neighbors relative to their older homeowner counterparts. Every one blames Cal Poly and Cuesta students, and they are certainly a problem, but the 20-somethings and 30-somethings who work in the low paying jobs downtown (or don't work at all) or just as big a problem. Many young renters do not maintain the exterior of their properties. (I think they believe their mommies and daddies are going to mow their lawns, water their plants, pull their weeds, clean their windows, and paint their exteriors.)
Unlike Portland, there are only a tiny number of high paying jobs in SLO and the surrounding areas. Small houses, designed for a family of 3 or 4, are occupied by 6 or 7 young renters, who can't afford to live in an appropriate size home. Many young renters are illegally living in garages which poses a safety hazard. They take up all the parking places in front of their neighbors homes, and are loud and obnoxious. There were 15 people living in one house near us --- not two large families, but rather singles and couples only. They had 13 cars!!!
Also, the large population of homeless persons in SLO consider it their God-given right to sit on homeowners properties, cause commotions, and leave litter behind.
Also, both hospitals in SLO are poor relative to their counterparts in the Bay Area and LA area, which is an issue for retirees like yourselves.
SLO used to have perfect weather, and it still has very good weather. But the temperatures during the warm months (May- October) have steadily increased over the last 30 years to the point where it has become hot. September and October are especially hot, and will seem broiling to you if you are coming from Portland. If you buy in SLO, and you have a 2nd story, you need to make sure the home has forced air gas heating, so central air can be added. (If you go 5 miles west to the ocean, its much cooler.)
Also, SLO does not have the symphony, chamber music, ballet, and jazz scene you are looking for.
A couple of years ago a woman wrote a very moving article in SLO's monthly magazine about the problems caused by renters in SLO, especially parking and quality of life problems, and why she and her family eventually gave up and sold their home. You can probably still find it somewhere online if you look hard enough. She hit the nail on the head.
We loved the downtown restaurants and shops, the hiking and biking, and the beaches, but the quality of life negatives eventually outweighed the positives. Good luck with your home search.
I've been reading City Data threads intermittently for a year or two, but I've never felt compelled to post a comment until reading the recent posts on this thread.
You hit the nail on the head tg9999. I could not have said it any better. I also sold my home in SLO, for many of the reasons you mentioned above. SLO used to be a great place to live and own a home; but not so much anymore. (Actually, I should amend that statement. It's still a great place for landlords to own a home, if their most important goal in life is to make money. It's just not a great place for owner occupied homes. Many out-of-town landlords do not take care of the properties, and they are just as much to blame as the renters for the poor condition of properties and the parking problems caused by allowing too many renters to occupy one house.)
Don't get me wrong, there are still many things to like about SLO, but the renters and the out-of-town landlords are a huge negatives and are a big reason why so many of us have given up and sold our homes in SLO. The young renters are the main problem, not the older renters.
I got a good laugh from the poster who said Los Osos is a better place to live then your recommended County alternatives --- Shell Beach or Avila Beach. That is hysterical and I wonder whether he has actually ever lived in San Luis Obispo County. You could ask 1000 current and former residents of San Luis Obispo County if they would prefer to live in Shell Beach or Los Osos and I suspect at least 999 of them would say Shell Beach. It is paradise. Avila's not far behind. I also got a laugh out of his claim that Cayucos was closer to SLO then Avila. This is the problem with basing posts on quick Internet research, as opposed to living in an area for years and driving to the mentioned locations on a regular basis.
I got a good laugh from the poster who said Los Osos is a better place to live then your recommended County alternatives --- Shell Beach or Avila Beach. That is hysterical and I wonder whether he has actually ever lived in San Luis Obispo County. You could ask 1000 current and former residents of San Luis Obispo County if they would prefer to live in Shell Beach or Los Osos and I suspect at least 999 of them would say Shell Beach. It is paradise. Avila's not far behind. I also got a laugh out of his claim that Cayucos was closer to SLO then Avila. This is the problem with basing posts on quick Internet research, as opposed to living in an area for years and driving to the mentioned locations on a regular basis.
Did not say Los Osos was "a better place to live than ..." said it is closer than the others and has more of a retirement demographic than SLO (and it is a damn nice, quiet, little town). But, since you bring it up, preferences are subjective. And there are plenty more than 1 out of 1000 that would prefer to live on the Morro Bay side with kayaking, birding and the other wildlife ... along with Montana deOro hiking and equestrian at their door - than on the also beautiful, but different oceanfront.
Also never said Cayucos was "closer than Avila." If you take care to read carefully you'd note I dropped Cayucos specifically from the mention of distance.
This is the problem with not reading internet posts carefully. You miss things stated accurately.
And your guess about where this poster lives is also mistaken in your assumption.
Edit: just went back and re read the post in question regarding mention of Cayucos distance ... and you are partly correct, That was a slip. In the next mention, it was excluded from the "within 12 miles" specification, but not separated from Morro Bay / Los Osos in the first generalization.
Last edited by StanleysOwl; 05-17-2017 at 07:55 AM..
You'd take the short trip flight from SLO Regional Airport to Los Angeles (for Hawaii) or to San Francisco (Boston). So, always have the extra fees and need to change planes, unfortunately.
I'm pretty sure both airports have tons of flights to both cities? San Francisco is technically the closest city on the mainland to Hawaii because of the Westerly longitude, s Los Angeles is farther east than Reno Nevada, but I don't know if that shaves much off your flight time to Hawaii. It may only be minutes...
If you can fly from San Luis Obispo Airport to smaller airports like San Jose or Oakland, then you'll be an even better shape going to those destinations with far less traffic or delays.
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