Suggestions on Neighborhoods for a Medical Marijuana Patient (Los Angeles, San Diego: apartment, rental)

[nawlinsdude]

Hi, my roommate and I are planning to move to San Diego in early September and he's going to reactivate his medical mj status at that time (we'd lived in Los Angeles a few years back before returning to the South).

Are there certain neighborhoods in the central part of town that would be better than others for us to look for rental housing, where this wouldn't be a big deal? We've been considering OB, North Park, not-so-congested areas of Hillcrest, University Heights and Normal Heights. We're in our mid-30's, enjoy walkable, villagey situations, smaller streets, historic character over modern amenities, and gardeny settings (that New Orleans aesthetic is hard to get out of your system!). We'd like something in the $900-$1000/month range, and we have cats.

How are medical mj patients dealing with rental housing life in San Diego? Is it a subject best left unaddressed when speaking to prospective landlords? Are there any other resources that would be good for us to know about? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[esmith143]

These neighborhoods are very liberal and I don't think medical marijuana would be a problem in any of them. Personally, I'd avoid mentioning it to the landlord, it's none of his/her business, and don't really have legal grounds to kick you out if they only find out after the fact.

Do keep in mind that it's OK for any employer to fire your roommate if he fails a drug test or his job performance is impaired, despite his medical card.

[nawlinsdude]

Thanks! He receives SSI and disability for his condition (schizoaffective disorder), so employment shouldn't be an issue, just housing. I don't use mj myself, but I'm all for it if it helps him function more normally.

[ontheGtrain]

Be advised, do not drive through a border patrol checkpoint with it in the car. You will be arrested for personal use.

[NYSD1995]

You are going to have to be careful here. Picking a liberal neighborhood is not enough. If other tenants in a an apartment building are smelling pot smoke someone will eventually complain and you are most likely going to lose that battle. My very liberal friends own a condo in North Park - they would never tolerate cigarette smoke, let alone dope smoke wafting into their unit.

I suppose if you plan on smoking enough dope in enough quantity and frequency that your neighbors are going to notice, you might consider looking at renting a house, cottage, or other more private housing. Otherwise you will probably end up living in a "party" complex in a "party" area where no one cares what you do (and they are everywhere). That attitude usually extends to screaming, bumping bass, parties, etc. Much of OB and PB would fall into that category.

Bringing it up to your landlord seems like an instant way to lose your lease.

[nawlinsdude]

Originally Posted by ontheGtrain

Be advised, do not drive through a border patrol checkpoint with it in the car. You will be arrested for personal use.

According to a March 2008 Phoenix NewTimes article about marijuana users detained at border patrol checkpoints, the laws are much less stringent in California than they are in Arizona, especially if they're dealing with medical marijuana patients. I'm not sure if we're allowed to link to articles here, but the story mentions some checkpoints in the El Centro area (on Highways 86 and 111) and interviews Lieutenant George Moreno of the Imperial County Sheriff's Office.

When marijuana is found at border patrol checkpoints, it says, sheriffs are obligated to drive out to see if a case can be made. Small amounts are considered a waste of resources, and California law doesn't allow detentions of more than 30 minutes.

It goes on to say that medical marijuana users who show proper paperwork have their medication seized and are sent on their way. That doesn't seem right, but it's apparently one instance in which the discrepancy between state and federal laws still has some relevance in California.

Thanks for the heads up, though. I'm hoping to avoid long road trips with it in the car. My concern is really focused on finding the right neighborhood in San Diego where he wouldn't have to worry about the smoke drifting the wrong way...

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by nawlinsdude

Thanks for the heads up, though. I'm hoping to avoid long road trips with it in the car. My concern is really focused on finding the right neighborhood in San Diego where he wouldn't have to worry about the smoke drifting the wrong way...

Again this is San Diego not Los Angeles. This is a city with a long history of conservatism. A little waft of pot now and again, not a concern. Blowing smoke all day, big problem. Based on your responses, I would stick to Ocean beach between West Point Loma and Newport. That is probably the only area in San Diego where you have a good chance of NO ONE caring about pot smoke.

[nawlinsdude]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

You are going to have to be careful here. Picking a liberal neighborhood is not enough. If other tenants in a an apartment building are smelling pot smoke someone will eventually complain and you are most likely going to lose that battle. My very liberal friends own a condo in North Park - they would never tolerate cigarette smoke, let alone dope smoke wafting into their unit.

I suppose if you plan on smoking enough dope in enough quantity and frequency that your neighbors are going to notice, you might consider looking at renting a house, cottage, or other more private housing. Otherwise you will probably end up living in a "party" complex in a "party" area where no one cares what you do (and they are everywhere). That attitude usually extends to screaming, bumping bass, parties, etc. Much of OB and PB would fall into that category.

Bringing it up to your landlord seems like an instant way to lose your lease.

Thanks, Sassberto, for your input! I've been reading your feedback on Ocean Beach and surrounding areas for some time now, and it's been extremely helpful. The irony is that I don't smoke either tobacco or marijuana, but in the nearly 5 years I've been my friend's caregiver, I've noticed that cannabis improves his condition remarkably, much better than the pharmaceuticals.

I've also noticed that a lot of the craigslist ads prohibit smoking on the properties, and of course, since he has schizophrenia, he loves to smoke cigarettes, which he does outside. The nicotine helps them focus and concentrate better.

I've thought about the issue of disapproving neighbors quite thoroughly, and I also realize that even a tolerant landlord doesn't want to be put at risk for losing his building, even though it seems less of a risk now that US Attorney General Eric Holder has announced that federal resources will no longer be used to circumvent state laws. But who knows how long that will last?

I agree that a house or detached building, maybe in a less densely-populated area would be ideal. However, at present, I have to keep our budget at a maximum of $1000/month for rent. Are there places where reasonably-priced cottages or bungalows are more prevalent? Maybe a Mission Hills Grandma unit or something on a cliff on the edge of University Heights?

I love OB, but the tweaker and pounding music aspects aren't really our thing!

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by nawlinsdude

I agree that a house or detached building, maybe in a less densely-populated area would be ideal. However, at present, I have to keep our budget at a maximum of $1000/month for rent. Are there places where reasonably-priced cottages or bungalows are more prevalent? Maybe a Mission Hills Grandma unit or something on a cliff on the edge of University Heights?

Perhaps. I think the price point will be tough and many homes in those areas are owned by wealthy longtime residents who may be tolerant towards marijuana use in general but will not tolerate a tenant smoking it all day either.

I am sure the pot helps your friend but I have to question the level of discretion your friend is using if this is an issue. I get the impression this is about him wanting to smoke it freely and constantly without issue as opposed to him using it in a discreet manner which would be considerate of neighbors and others. I have spent enough time around weed and weed smokers to know you have to smoke a TON of pot for anyone to really notice.

You keep mentioning state and federal law, but San Diego county only decided to recognize the law 3 weeks ago, what does that say about people's acceptance of it here? This is still a bit of a small-town city.

[nawlinsdude]

The decision was actually made largely for them by the US Supreme Court, and the reason it's such an issue for me isn't so much because of my friend's frequency of use or lack of discretion as it is my concern about just those attitudes you described. Still, not all conservatives are cut from the same cloth -- Ron Paul is a conservative (as we saw in the Bruno movie...) and he favors legalizing it. And for all the anti-pot leadership, San Diego has many pro-pot activists, like Eugene Davidovich and Dion Markgraaff. If anything, I'm erring on the side of caution. My friend is pretty discreet; I'm just considering all the what ifs, worry wart that I am. He likes to spend the day out in nature, exploring forests, going to gardens and parks; he's not your unmotivated pothead type.

We could go back to LA, but a small-town city is really what we want and need, and I'm sure we'd both be happy there. I'll follow your suggestion of looking in Ocean Beach...we'll just do our best to avoid any places that look too dodgy. Maybe east of Ebers...