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So, the backstory first. I have lived with Bipolar Disorder and OCD since I was 14 (now about 55). I am well educated and at one point in my life (~1999) I was making 120K when I became too sick to work reliably. As a result of several hospitalizations I went on disability. I take in about $1500 a month right now. I have given up hoping that the medical industry can help me and rely on diet and environment mostly to keep me stable. I am also a Daoist.
Rising rental and medical costs are making it difficult to live in Montana. Plus I cannot afford a car so winters are difficult. My landlord is raising my rent but I need to leave anyway since I feel unwell where I am living. Plus, the wildfire smoke here in the summers makes me unwell also. I tried to find alternative housing but have not had any luck in my price range or with finding a roommate. I can usually spend up to $700/month on rent. Also, since I cannot get my deposit back until I leave my apartment, I have no money to put down on a new apartment. Hence, homeless.
So, I am weighing the option of buying a tent and some camping gear and living in that for a while so I can save some money, maybe for a down payment, maybe for a cheap scooter/motorcycle. I do have some outdoor experience and I am trying to look at this as more of an extended camping trip rather than me being "homeless".
My issues is that I do not know which direction to go. I have lived in Hawaii, Washington State (Olympic Peninsula) and North Carolina. In my travels I have wandered in and out of the homeless population and was saddened by the amount of drug use. I do not do any drugs. It is the one thing I want to avoid as much as possible. So I am looking for a small town that might put up with a nice guy who cannot afford housing at the moment and just wants to live a simple quiet life and try to work out the final kinks so that he can try to start working again.
So I am just throwing this out here for ideas or if anyone else went through the same thing.
My Needs:
Small towns
Lower Homeless population
Access to Seafood (Salmon preferentially)
Moderate Temperatures
The Olympic Peninsula checks off a lot of those boxes, but the drug and homeless issues there are pretty bad. But anything west of the Mississippi might work. A long term AirBnB might work as well but they are so expensive in the places I feel would be the best place for me to live.
Also, if anyone knows the intensity of the drug/homeless on the Oregon and Washington coasts I would love to hear about it.
I do not want to be homeless, and I have never been a bad tenant or broken a lease. Just a sick dude trying to get better who has some money and is looking for a healthy place to live but is caught in a money trap.
Good luck with everything, sounds like you have some good qualities inside that you've been able to rely on. I'm sure you'll land well. You might want to try posting in the forums of target cities instead of the general forum. You'll be more likely to get replies from locals that are glad to give you the skinny on the area.
I have lived in Chapel Hill for quite a few years, the heat and humidity are a trigger for me. Easier for me to stay warm outside than it is to stay cool. I looked at New Bern before I left, rent is still too high and not enough choice if i save money to rent a place. I hear that AirBNB has really taken hold of the town as well limiting rentals.
There are a few camping spots nearby but sheesh, the mosquitoes and alligators...
Available Mar. 1st
$550/mo 1bd 2-story condo 1,008sf
DirecTV/WiFi for $30
Part-time job: on-call housekeeping - $30/unit (~$15/hr) - earn ~$500 bi-monthly in summer, ~$60-$200 bi-monthly off-season
/QUOTE]
Sounds nice, wish i could. They want $800 down which i do not have though.
If he likes you, he'll probably bargain. He wants someone with extra income, so you'll stick through the slower months. You could pay off the deposit in a couple months.
First of all I'm very sorry to hear of your situation.
May I ask if you have any family that can be of help?
I say this out of all due respect but you are 55 and being homeless and wanting to camp out at your age is a terrible option.
If you were 25 I could understand but there aren't any other options for you?
I'm sincerely wishing you the best.
I understand you have had issues finding a good roommate and also don’t want to see a lot of homeless, but these may be sacrifices you have to make if you don’t want to be homeless yourself. And if you do end up in a tent city despite having an income that would allow you to secure housing, even with roommates, then you would be homeless by choice. You have options, they may just not be the ones you would ideally like. For the record, there is homelessness/drugs in the OP, but it’s on a far smaller scale than say Seattle. I doubt it would interfere with your daily life.
Here’s a solution: rent a room for a few months at under $500 a month and save that extra money you saved on rent for a deposit. And get on a wait list ASAP for your own place within your budget.
First of all I'm very sorry to hear of your situation.
May I ask if you have any family that can be of help?
I say this out of all due respect but you are 55 and being homeless and wanting to camp out at your age is a terrible option.
If you were 25 I could understand but there aren't any other options for you?
I'm sincerely wishing you the best.
Most of the homeless people I see are closer to 55 than 25. I think 25 year olds have more options in general.
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