Single parent moving to AZ with 2 kids & no job (Phoenix: appointed, transplants)

[PhureeKeeper]

Call the United Way of Phoenix. They have a community referral program that can help you get lined up with housing and job search aids.

[teddyearp]

As far as your rental desires, that may be tough as most landlords these days want at least a six month lease. And I cannot blame them in a way since it is a lot of trouble going through the vetting process and I sure wouldn't want to be a landlord and have the prospect of doing that process any more often than that.

On the job front though, I will echo what many others have already said in this thread. Look for one of my recent posts here to read my whole experience, but suffice it to say I came to AZ with no prospects, no family and little money. I was able to obtain full time employment within a few weeks and by just keeping at it and being an overall good employee I advanced both in pay and stature faster than I did here in WA state. But you have to be willing to just work and not be too picky.

Now you will get the potential landlord that will surely point out and complain that the starting pay may not be as great as other parts of the country, but that is what is good (IMHO) about a right to work state. Hard work does pay off quickly in AZ.

good luck to you!

[Breathing4me]

I'm driving out tomorrow to try to find a place. I have money saved for moving and deposits but how do i get a place with no proof of income

[wit-nit]

References from previous places and 6 months in advance rent.

[jamies]

You don't. Generally. Weekly motels are about the only chance. Back when I was in your shoes, in another town, we ended up living at the Hyatt in a 1 bedroom suite for a month because as long as my credit card was good they didn't care. But it was about $3,500 for the month.

I do miss the maid and room service though.

Sometimes a private landlord will take a chance if you offer several months rent up front along with a heft security deposit. If you offer a double security and pay three months ahead that might open doors.

In AZ a LL can only require 1 1/2 month security and first months rent - but you can OFFER more.

I have a long time tenant who pays by the year for less trouble messing with payments.

[adriver]

Originally Posted by Breathing4me

I'm driving out tomorrow to try to find a place. I have money saved for moving and deposits but how do i get a place with no proof of income

Save yourself a lot of time and hassle and use an apt locator service. I recently used one for the first time and it was great. $10 to do a criminal background and light credit check. From there you tell em what you need, what you want, where you want to be, what you got to spend...etc.. let them make the calls and find out who will take you and then you can choose. If you haven't started this process yet, start there.

I recently used one and was extremely happy. I called them from a craigslit ad about 10:30 am, saw just before noon, and moved in the next day. If it wasn't for waiting on a reference letter from my previous residence I would have been in that day. That is the only business I have had with them, and I am not sure if I am allowed to post the info here. Feel free to message me if you want the information.

[Breathing4me]

Originally Posted by adriver

Save yourself a lot of time and hassle and use an apt locator service. I recently used one for the first time and it was great. $10 to do a criminal background and light credit check. From there you tell em what you need, what you want, where you want to be, what you got to spend...etc.. let them make the calls and find out who will take you and then you can choose. If you haven't started this process yet, start there.

I recently used one and was extremely happy. I called them from a craigslit ad about 10:30 am, saw just before noon, and moved in the next day. If it wasn't for waiting on a reference letter from my previous residence I would have been in that day. That is the only business I have had with them, and I am not sure if I am allowed to post the info here. Feel free to message me if you want the information.

Yes can u please send me the info

[Jukesgrrl]

OP, I am known for being as liberal as anyone on C-D Arizona; I happily call myself a Progressive Democrat. As such, I am certainly not opposed to the government extending a safety net to people in need. Food assistance, free phones for safety, low-income housing, free lunches for poor kids ... I'm ALL for them when people have need.

But you seem to have very out-sized notions for what to expect when you come to a state where you've never contributed to the tax base. WHY isn't the father of your children paying child support? Do you plan to get a job when you come here? What are you qualified to do? Who will be watching your children? I'm not being nosy ... the state will require you to address those questions (and provide a paper trail) if you are going to apply for public assistance in Arizona.

You express a desire to live in one of Phoenix's trendiest suburbs, you want a top school district for your kids, you have no income but you want an apartment with room for children, and far under the median cost of an apartment in Phoenix (which is currently $900/mo.)? I certainly hope you aren't telling landlords you'll "break your lease" if the apartment isn't bug free or you'll never find one. Perhaps you aren't aware of the issue of bugs in places that have warm weather all year long. We have snakes and scorpions here, too. It can't be helped ... we are building our homes on top of theirs and they were here first.

Then, to top it off, you complain about Colorado's "flood of migrates." Do you think we don't have immigrants here in Arizona, given we actually share a border with another country? You are entitled to safety and a hand of help, but they aren't?

I'm sorry if this seems ungenerous or unkind, but your attitude is so entitled, it's shocking to me. I find it hard to believe no one else has spoken up about that already. Thanks to the conservatives who make the laws in this state, it's really not easy to get welfare in Arizona, even if the help is ultimately a tad more generous than Colorado's. You need to prepare yourself for that and perhaps scale down your expectations.

[lovecrowds]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

OP, I am known for being as liberal as anyone on C-D Arizona; I happily call myself a Progressive Democrat. As such, I am certainly not opposed to the government extending a safety net to people in need. Food assistance, free phones for safety, low-income housing, free lunches for poor kids ... I'm ALL for them when people have need.

But you seem to have very out-sized notions for what to expect when you come to a state where you've never contributed to the tax base. WHY isn't the father of your children paying child support? Do you plan to get a job when you come here? What are you qualified to do? Who will be watching your children? I'm not being nosy ... the state will require you to address those questions (and provide a paper trail) if you are going to apply for public assistance in Arizona.

You express a desire to live in one of Phoenix's trendiest suburbs, you want a top school district for your kids, you have no income but you want an apartment with room for children, and far under the median cost of an apartment in Phoenix (which is currently $900/mo.)? I certainly hope you aren't telling landlords you'll "break your lease" if the apartment isn't bug free or you'll never find one. Perhaps you aren't aware of the issue of bugs in places that have warm weather all year long. We have snakes and scorpions here, too. It can't be helped ... we are building our homes on top of theirs and they were here first.

Then, to top it off, you complain about Colorado's "flood of migrates." Do you think we don't have immigrants here in Arizona, given we actually share a border with another country? You are entitled to safety and a hand of help, but they aren't?

I'm sorry if this seems ungenerous or unkind, but your attitude is so entitled, it's shocking to me. I find it hard to believe no one else has spoken up about that already. Thanks to the conservatives who make the laws in this state, it's really not easy to get welfare in Arizona, even if the help is ultimately a tad more generous than Colorado's. You need to prepare yourself for that and perhaps scale down your expectations.

I don't know what is "trendy" about much of Chandler or parts of Scottsdale. They do have alot of low-rent apartment buildings in North Chandler and even in Scottsdale around the Hayden and Thomas area.

There are tens of thousands of lower-income people in Chandler. It has the old apartment buildings that you would see in Maryvale or Central Mesa but it's only a hundred dollar a month premium on cost to live in a much safer, much more orderly city.

If I were a single mother with 2 kids I would never live in Colorado. Colorado is a very expensive state, it has menial or six-figure jobs in droves but nothing in the middle. There is very little upward or downward mobility in the state. Arizona is far better for people getting back on their feet.

I can't think of a better state for a person in her temporary situation in the west. Colorado, Utah, California, Oregon and Washington are expensive and Las Vegas is an extremely violent crime, wild-west city unfit for families.

Arizona I think would be better for the person as it is more middle-of-the pack on social service programs, they have a much larger amount of non-profits. There is much more upward mobility or downward mobility then Colorado. The rents are half the price of Denver.

I have no idea about the individuals circumstances, but there are alot of apartment buildings that accept section 8 vouchers in Chandler if applicable.

I think the person want's to work and Phoenix is much, much better for $12-$18 hour jobs then Denver.

There are still old 2 bedroom apartment complexes in areas that are not that bad for $600-$700 in Central Mesa which even though it's a dirty neighborhood is somewhat liveable.

[AZgarden]

Go to www.azdes.gov and you will find a wealth of information for your situation.

Everyone, including you, has a right to get help in any situation without someone telling them they don't deserve it. I hear your quest for "safety" and truly hope moving from CO to AZ will provide you that. Good luck and let us know what happens.