CA suggestions for my parent's relocation: warm, mild weather, affordable on low income, pop <= 200k, etc? (Fresno: crime, home)

[Teacher Terry]

No paradise people moved to Chico so it might be hard to find a place in Chico. Reno’s rents skyrocketed between all the weekly motels getting torn down, people moving in due to us gaining 34 tech companies and retirees moving in. We also haven’t built enough housing to keep up with demand. One bedroom apartments are renting for between 1100-1400/month.

[tikkasf]

ShipwreckSiren;
I would suggest your parents start browsing Craigslist and maybe another internet source such as hotpads to get a idea of what housing costs they would be looking at in California. Chico and Oroville area have been suggested here......start with those two. Generally, with the exception of the far north coast, your parents will be priced out of the coastal strip area of CA. I also 2nd the suggestion made here, that since your mother is only 51 years old, that she consider working part time......even just 20 hours a week at $13 a hour would make a meaningful difference for them... averages out to a bit over $1100 gross a month. ($260 a week x 52/12)

[Radaghast]

I live in a relatively inexpensive county (Butte) in Northern California (by that I mean, relative to more populated areas of CA like the Bay Area, LA, and San Diego). It's still not cheap, and I would say your parents should probably rule out CA altogether. Unless they're interested in a small town like Red Bluff or Orland. Even Chico is going to be well outside their budget, Redding might be too. What kind of lifestyle do your parents live? If they're looking for a more active community a smaller (<50,000) would probably be harder for them to settle into, but a larger town in CA would probably break their budget.


Their best bet seems like Texas at this point.


I will say that Chico's housing is seeing a bit of a break because the university decided that next semester will be conducted online - so the usual influx of 15,000 students around mid-August won't be happening and tons of student housing in the surrounding area won't be leased. Prices might drop, but that's not guaranteed yet. We were overcrowded after the Camp Fire because so many fire victims came here and bought/rented whatever housing inventory was still available. It's going to be a little less tight now but not totally relieved.

[semispherical]

You might want to look into the Ukiah/Ft. Bragg area in CA. Weather will be mild, Ft Bragg is on the coast, they should be able to find a small apartment or mobile home in their price range. Not sure what the current job situation is there though.

[blazens]

You need to have substantial resources to live in California. Even the nastiest areas like Compton are expensive if you have limited income and no assets.

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by blazens

You need to have substantial resources to live in California. Even the nastiest areas like Compton are expensive if you have limited income and no assets.

That is not true. I know & have known many people who do not have assets, & they manage to live in CA, just fine.

[saibot]

Originally Posted by evening sun

That is not true. I know & have known many people who do not have assets, & they manage to live in CA, just fine.

I do too, but almost without exception, they either grew up here or moved here decades ago. Anyone who came recently, if they have a limited income and no assets, is basically reduced to renting a room.

Of course I am talking about the area I'm familiar with--the LA metro. Sure, there are parts of California a person with no assets could afford, but there are very significant drawbacks to those areas. That's why they're cheap and sparsely populated.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by Radaghast

Their best bet seems like Texas at this point.

I agree, OP. And you said that your stepfather likes TX. To uproot two (basically) retired people to a new state is ambitious. Don't underestimate how important established friends and family are to older people who have lived in one area for an extended period of time.

It looks as if you got a lot of good answers when you posed your question on the TX and AZ forums.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

I agree, OP. And you said that your stepfather likes TX. To uproot two (basically) retired people to a new state is ambitious. Don't underestimate how important established friends and family are to older people who have lived in one area for an extended period of time.

It looks as if you got a lot of good answers when you posed your question on the TX and AZ forums.

Not to mention the op is asking for a lot for very little money. Also with that low income I suspect moving costs will be a consideration too.

[tikkasf]

Originally Posted by aslowdodge

Not to mention the op is asking for a lot for very little money. Also with that low income I suspect moving costs will be a consideration too.

I think that will start to become evident to OP, if OP takes my suggestion and starts pricing rentals here