Moving to Oregon, but I can't afford too! (Portland, Beaverton: sales, apartment)

[RoamingZombie]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

You might want to contact the Section 8 people with your questions about what they can do for you.

Other than that, if you don't have the funds to move -- don't. Sorry I can't be of more help, but it just doesn't make sense to sell all of your furniture and move to a place where you can't afford the rent. You'll be stuck with no furniture and nowhere to live.

Per selling furniture, I've seen dozen of ads on craigslist for people offering free furniture. I'd be happy with just about anything. Why sell my current furniture? To provide a bit of cash to help pay for gas for the trip and avoid the additional cost of movers and/or rental truck or trailer. By the way, the son of some friends of ours lives in the PNW and has offered to help research housing and so forth.

[RoamingZombie]

Originally Posted by crisw

Portland also has a very poor track record with Section 8 housing as far as locating it in areas that are safe and pleasant to live in-
Portland's Section 8 clients are shifted east of 82nd Avenue: Locked Out, Part 2 | OregonLive.com
Map: Portland Section 8 voucher distribution - The Oregonian

Thank you for this information/link. I'm currently leaning towards a move to Washington state. I happen to be in contact with a real estate agent that is offering to work within our means. I know that Section 8 always takes too much time to kick in. Looks like I can use that towards the homes available to eventually save money.

[RoamingZombie]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

OP, you will have an extremely difficult time living in Oregon on $1100 a month. Even if you can get a HUD (Section 8) voucher, practically no landlords will accept Section 8 tenants.

There is some low income housing with long waiting lists and it is not for non-residents. You would have to establish residency before you could even get onto the waiting list.

The past couple of years, the amount given for Section 8 housing is not adequate to rent a place. I used to get inquiries from people with vouchers worth $1200. Now I get people with large families and vouchers only good for a $500 rental, which doesn't exist.

Thank you, I'll keep this in mind as I research the potential move and contacting Section 8 first.

[RoamingZombie]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

There are people living all over Oregon with much less, but to come here would be pure foolishness. Tent living is not fun. By-the-way, Call Centers will not pay more than basic SSI and if you are able to work a call center you are not eligable for SSI.

My plan, which I failed to mention, would be to work only part time within SSI guidlines to make some additional money and not to cancel SSI.

Thank you for your reply.

[RoamingZombie]

Originally Posted by midwest61021

This might be a little primitive for most people, but consider making it a "extended" camping trip? a used minivan will work. I did it for a year in a full size conversion van and had fun while saving money. But, I also didn't have a wife to consider either. It was great til the trans broke. Hell, I might do something like that again when I move to Ore. I guess you and your wife will have to just explore your options.

The "camping trip" concept has been discussed and I am not comfortable with it. I would only use that as a last resort in case any housing was not ready at the promised time.

[RoamingZombie]

Originally Posted by take57

I'd have to agree. Based on the post it appears part of the reason for choosing the PNW is vampire movies. I guess if that logic holds true it's fortunate you're not fans of Woody Allen films since rolling into Manhattan with minimal income would be an equally horrific idea.

Please come out for a visit, play in the woods, howl at the moon, then go home. Honest to God we just don't have the room for more people coming in to further tax our social safety net, latching onto our short supply of subsidized housing. I'd be nicer about this but I failed to detect any interest on your part to contribute to the betterment of our community. I'm sorry life sucks in Oklahoma, but it will be worse here. We no longer have the resources to float your dream. Try Arizona or Idaho. Sorry to be such a hard ass, but I see aimless souls every day. The inn is full.

NO, vampire movies are not the reason for the desired move. Perhaps I did not explain myself clearly. The vampire movies only created an interest in researching the PNW to see what it was all about.

Per the rest of your comment, I felt the my exact plans for what I am going to do such as work and so forth were not needed. The inn may be full but with a bit of hard work some additional rooms can be added on.

[Nell Plotts]

If you can't afford to move then don't.

[Metlakatla]

I'm not sure I would want anything offered on CL for free. Mostly, they're just looking for an easy way to get rid of junk. Good luck, though.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I'm not sure I would want anything offered on CL for free. Mostly, they're just looking for an easy way to get rid of junk. Good luck, though.

There is a Portland freecycle list (via yahoo, I think?), and you can occasionally get some good finds off that. That said, it would seem to be a pretty unreliable way to outfit your whole house/apt.

I agree with others that it's a pretty long-shot plan. And while I'm on the liberal side of the fence, I also don't tend to favor relocation to access public benefits for a variety of reasons.

But one big practical reason is that local and community resources are a means to reduce the number of things you specifically need to pay for. You can get friends/family to volunteer to help you move a couch, for example. In a new place, you often have to pay cash for every item or service you need. Thus the means you do have will be less efficient.

Longview won't be quite as bad, but in general the PNW is just plain more expensive than OK.

[Steve Pickering]

SSI only allows Return to work. SS allows some income. SSI does not. If you can work at a call center you are not disabled under SSI guidelines.