What can I rent in Hillsboro for $800 (Portland, Rockcreek: sales, apartment complexes)

[Melissa82]

My husband (he is 25 I am 29) is out of the army soon and we are thinking of relocating to the Portland area around April 2012. The catch is that he will be going to school and I have no idea what kind of job I can get. I'll be coming from a background of business management (associates degree but no actual on the job management work) with customer service phone jobs, banking (collections) and most recently, logistics (military contractor - I quote prices for items we can procure, find the items, arrange shipping, make up Purchase orders, Sales orders, etv...). He hopes to get a part time job, I'm not sure in what. The good news is the army will be paying us for rent when he is in school.

The big question is, can we find a decent, safe area to live (say a 1 or 2 bedrooms apt) in Hillsboro for $800 (that's base, utilities extra)? If so, in what area?

[figmalt]

Hillsboro is pretty safe overall. Most of the larger apartment complexes list on forrent.com and apartments.com. Just a quick glance shows that a one bedroom/one bath starts around $750. Tanasbourne is an area with a lot of apartment complexes, shopping, and it's close to PCC Rock Creek. Orenco is another popular area, close to the MAX and Intel. Generally though, Tanasbourne and Orenco will probably be a little more expensive.

Where will he be going to school?

[Melissa82]

Originally Posted by figmalt

Hillsboro is pretty safe overall. Most of the larger apartment complexes list on forrent.com and apartments.com. Just a quick glance shows that a one bedroom/one bath starts around $750. Tanasbourne is an area with a lot of apartment complexes, shopping, and it's close to PCC Rock Creek. Orenco is another popular area, close to the MAX and Intel. Generally though, Tanasbourne and Orenco will probably be a little more expensive.

Where will he be going to school?

We don't know yet. He wants to go to community college first, then university for Mathematics or Computer Science.

[hamellr]

Portland Community College is well used to Vets taking advantage of the GI Bill and has several people dedicated to just that. The Rockcreek Campus is closest to Hillsboro, but you may need to go to the Sylvan Campus for the occasional class.

Keep in mind that PCC is also the only college in Hillsboro. You'll need to commute to Portland for anything else.

I would also highly suggest against Math or Computer Science. Although CS would be good only if you're going to go into the Hardware Design program at OIT with plans to get hired on at Intel.

[Nell Plotts]

Originally Posted by hamellr

I would also highly suggest against Math or Computer Science.

Why?

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Why?

For jobs in the Portland area. Math is going to be limiting jobs, unless you want to be a teacher or an accountant. It's a decent generic degree to get your foot in the door, but you're not going to be using it.

Unless the Computer Science degree is targeted towards hardware design (which is actually rare,) I'd stay away from it.

If you go with a general CS degree, the learning is usually so out of date that it makes little difference to employers. In the Portland area there are so many skilled IT people with tons of certifications and experience that a degree doesn't stand out.

If you end up with a Software based CS degree, your skills are going in demand, but the curve to get promoted up the chain is going to be much longer. You'll end up putting in a many years of low-paid QA testing, help desk work, and basic programming before getting a raise or promotion. There is also a higher chance of unemployment as projects get outsourced to India, Mexico or the Philippines. The other part of the problem is that software guys also need to be server admins in today's job market and the Web 2.0 world. There is a lot of overlap between the jobs, but few Software Degrees teach the server admin side of things.

This is why I would recommend getting the CS degree, but specializing in Hardware Design. Intel puts a lot of money into the program at OIT and hires just about every graduate out of it.

[Nell Plotts]

OIT is highly regarded, Intel may not be the only employer hiring those skills.

If memory serves me the UofO software program is in the Math department.

As a math major myself (back in the early 60s) I agree that as a stand alone major, unless you are willing to hang in for a PhD, you need to figure out how to use the skills acquired. You are a tool for others. Programmers aren't limited to the hell you describe but if you aren't on the top of your game that is what you might settle for. Right now the action is in inter-net security, and the money is in widgets for games and cell phones. Pick your passion.

I have a relative who is an os programmer. That is a culture unto itself. I used to be able to converse with him about that field, now it is well beyond me. One summer he worked with intel (not Intel) folks.

For what it's worth the first internet security skunk works was at Portland State and as a result the FBI's first office with that focus was in Portland. The firm that does electronic records recovery for attorneys and law enforcement has Portland roots.

[figmalt]

Originally Posted by hamellr

Keep in mind that PCC is also the only college in Hillsboro. You'll need to commute to Portland for anything else.

Not strictly true since Pacific is opening a campus location by Tuality.

[PHXtoPDX]

I live in the Tanasbourne area and rents have been steadily going up since I moved here in '09. I'm in one of the cheaper complexes in the area, and I'm paying around $800 (including water/sewage/garbage) for a little, dinky one-bedroom on the first floor.

With The new Intel plant and Kaiser hospital both under construction nearby, you probably won't be able to get anything in this area for $800 pretty soon. I'd strongly recommend looking elsewhere, unless you want to have to move again in a year or two because rents have risen past what you can afford.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by PHXtoPDX

I live in the Tanasbourne area and rents have been steadily going up since I moved here in '09. I'm in one of the cheaper complexes in the area, and I'm paying around $800 (including water/sewage/garbage) for a little, dinky one-bedroom on the first floor.

With The new Intel plant and Kaiser hospital both under construction nearby, you probably won't be able to get anything in this area for $800 pretty soon. I'd strongly recommend looking elsewhere, unless you want to have to move again in a year or two because rents have risen past what you can afford.

This is good advice but I would also caution the OP and anyone else who is trying to find an apartment that they can just afford today is to think of tomorrow. I cannot believe how much rental rates are going up all over Portland and the suburbs. What is affordable today may not be tomorrow.