San Jose City Hall USPTO area affordable housing (San Fernando, Orland: hardwood floors, 2015)

[NoVaNewbie1]

Hello all. My spouse just secured a position with the USPTO, at their San Jose satellite office. As I understand it, this office has been open since last summer 2015, so I'm a bit surprised that I haven't been able to find much in this forum re new hires looking for housing nearby... Or maybe I'm searching wrong.

Anyway, the office is located on S. 4th Street, in the City Hall complex, I believe. There's a nearby apt complex called 101 San Fernando, but the reviews seem a little shaky. Any thoughts on the area, or where there's decent, safe housing within an easy commute to this location? We know nothing about the area. Our plan (as rough as it may be) is to have her living there alone and only for work during the week, and flying back home to Florida on the weekends/as often as possible - our two children will remain with me in Orlando.

Her starting salary will be around 70k and we'd like to keep her 1 bedroom/studio apt costs at around 2k/month.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

[simboticus]

The area is generally pretty safe, there are some homeless people around. San Jose State university is right next door, so there is a lot of student housing in the area. You should check craigslist. I can't comment on that specific apartment. I just noticed that patent office for the first time the other day, looks nice.

[Bolo99]

TS, I used to live at the apartments next door from there. It is across from SJSU and the MLK Library. The area is urban and I considered it a very safe area. It is in downtown, so you still have to be careful walking around at night, but in general it's a good area. However, you only need to walk a few short blocks and the neighborhoods start to look run down and grimy very quickly. There are a lot of different entainment spots and eateries within walking distance from those apartments.

Originally Posted by NoVaNewbie1

Hello all. My spouse just secured a position with the USPTO, at their San Jose satellite office. As I understand it, this office has been open since last summer 2015, so I'm a bit surprised that I haven't been able to find much in this forum re new hires looking for housing nearby... Or maybe I'm searching wrong.

Anyway, the office is located on S. 4th Street, in the City Hall complex, I believe. There's a nearby apt complex called 101 San Fernando, but the reviews seem a little shaky. Any thoughts on the area, or where there's decent, safe housing within an easy commute to this location? We know nothing about the area. Our plan (as rough as it may be) is to have her living there alone and only for work during the week, and flying back home to Florida on the weekends/as often as possible - our two children will remain with me in Orlando.

Her starting salary will be around 70k and we'd like to keep her 1 bedroom/studio apt costs at around 2k/month.

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

[NoVaNewbie1]

Thank you for your quick replies... yeah, I should probably search this forum for affordable/safe SJSU housing, considering the university's proximity.

She wouldn't HAVE to live so close to the USPTO office, but because we're unaware of the public transportation situation for that area, we've just assumed that living across the street from work would be best. But if living elsewhere and commuting in via train/bus/metro/etc. is better, we're certainly interested in that too.

[simboticus]

Japantown is a pretty good area

Gorgeous Japantown Apartment | Quartz Counters | Hardwood Floors

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by NoVaNewbie1

Thank you for your quick replies... yeah, I should probably search this forum for affordable/safe SJSU housing, considering the university's proximity.

She wouldn't HAVE to live so close to the USPTO office, but because we're unaware of the public transportation situation for that area, we've just assumed that living across the street from work would be best. But if living elsewhere and commuting in via train/bus/metro/etc. is better, we're certainly interested in that too.

The light rail line goes down 1st and 2nd streets downtown, so it will be a 2 or 3 block walk to there taking light rail (since the line on 1st goes north and the one on 2nd goes south it will be a going to one station in the morning and the other in the evening).

Japantown is about 1 mile north, it is about 20 minute walk, short commute on light rail. North of city hall is up and coming, and has a large homeless population, she might not be comfortable there. 101 W. San Fernando is on the west part, which has a lot of people during the day and somewhat at night. Those apartments may be more comfortable, she could also try renting a condo from a private owner in Paseo Villas or Paseo Plaza, or the 88, these places tend to have less issues with students renting there that may not be used to living by themselves.

The Dash shuttle also goes from Caltrain to the library, about 1 block from the USPTO, but may add to the commute to take Caltrain from Tamien, but if she likes it more she can look at the Tamien area, and take light rail or Caltrain + Dash.

Personally if I'm going to stay somewhere for the week and commute from home on the weekend I would want to stay within a few blocks, since the long commute for the weekend can take a lot out of you on Monday. There are plenty of things to do downtown, but since she won't be here on the weekends I guess she doesn't really have to care. Downtown varies by block but generally I'm guessing she will be more comfortable to the west of the office.

[NoVaNewbie1]

Good info on the commuting options; had no idea there was even light rail there, but now I see it on google maps/the VTA website.

Thanks!

[tehsquishmeister]

70K to be away from her kids for a week at a time? That's... crazy.

Off topic, I know, sorry.

[NoVaNewbie1]

Originally Posted by tehsquishmeister

70K to be away from her kids for a week at a time? That's... crazy.

Off topic, I know, sorry.

Perhaps a little off topic, yes, but it's certainly understandable that you'd mention it. It's not going to be easy. However, I already work from home full time, and eventually she would too, back home in FL, after about 24 months. By that time, it's more like 90k, w/o considering bonuses/overtime... and bringing that kind of salary back to rural FL allows us to live VERY comfortably.

[Wintermomma]

I don't know anything about dealing with government job offers, but that is an extremely low wage for this area. If you can negotiate, I would try.