So I'm thinking about moving to Florida... (Tampa, St. Petersburg: apartments, insurance)

[kbs149th]

I am a 22 year old female who is planning to relocate from Northern California to St. Petersburg within the next year or two, and I have so many questions! My main questions are about weather (hurricanes, Severe storms and tropical weather), but would also like information about areas to live, safety, public transportation, entertainment, and anything else you think would be helpful.
Thanks in advance.

[Dave_n_Tenn]

post in the Tampa forum

[Occifer]

Hurricanes and tropical systems happen just like California gets earthquakes. There's not much you can do about it other than getting insurance. 2004 was a bad year (not for the TB area), but we really haven't had any serious tropical threats since then.

The crime rate in St. Pete (as well as Tampa) is much higher than the national average, however the vast majority of serious crime is concentrated in specific areas. There are plenty of safe areas in both cities. You definitely want to avoid South St. Pete if you want to live over there.

Public transportation here is lacking, which is one of the reasons why not many people choose to use it. Public transportation is limited to busses and the routes are relatively few. This is especially true if you're trying to go from Pinellas County to Hillsborough County.

[kbs149th]

Originally Posted by Occifer

Hurricanes and tropical systems happen just like California gets earthquakes. There's not much you can do about it other than getting insurance. 2004 was a bad year (not for the TB area), but we really haven't had any serious tropical threats since then.

The crime rate in St. Pete (as well as Tampa) is much higher than the national average, however the vast majority of serious crime is concentrated in specific areas. There are plenty of safe areas in both cities. You definitely want to avoid South St. Pete if you want to live over there.

Public transportation here is lacking, which is one of the reasons why not many people choose to use it. Public transportation is limited to busses and the routes are relatively few. This is especially true if you're trying to go from Pinellas County to Hillsborough County.

Thanks for responding! The reasons I asked about the weather is because I lived in Alabama for five years so I have experienced the indirect effects of hurricane season...and I’m afraid of lightning...

So you say that South St. Pete is not the place to be? I plan on attending the Aveda Institute, and it is located at 235 3rd Street South, is this area or the surrounding areas ok to live? I would love to be in walking distance of the school but what do you think is the most affordable/safe area to live?

Yeah, I've been doing my own research and I came across the psta website and yes the public transportation is very limited...especially compared to the SF Bay Area. Would it be in my best interest to have a vehicle?

I just want to make sure that I get as much information as I can because I will be in school and living on my own and mainly off of my savings for at least eight months. So I need to make allowances for any and everything that may arise.

[Occifer]

That's in downtown St. Pete. Downtown isn't a bad area and it offers a lot more than downtown Tampa in terms of nightlife and entertainment. I'm not really sure about apartments or condos in the downtown area and how affordable they are. I certainly wouldn't advise living anywhere south of downtown, as South St. Pete is the worst area of the city.

As to whether or not you need a car, well that's a personal decision you'll have to make when you decide where you want to live and what you want to do in your free time. People who live around here rely heavily on personal transportation mainly because the public transportation system is lacking and things are spread out all over the place. It's nothing like SF or other dense urban cities.

[Aconite]

Originally Posted by kbs149th

Yeah, I've been doing my own research and I came across the psta website and yes the public transportation is very limited...especially compared to the SF Bay Area. Would it be in my best interest to have a vehicle?

I lived in the Clearwater area for a couple of years without a vehicle of my own (the husband used the family car to commute while I stayed home with two small people). Frankly, it is NOT something I'd recommend for anyone who isn't, say, agoraphobic.
You won't die without one, but you may well wish you had.

[kbs149th]

Originally Posted by Aconite

I lived in the Clearwater area for a couple of years without a vehicle of my own (the husband used the family car to commute while I stayed home with two small people). Frankly, it is NOT something I'd recommend for anyone who isn't, say, agoraphobic.
You won't die without one, but you may well wish you had.

Thanks for responding. I understand completely what I'll be getting myself into if I don't have a car...I lived in Tuskegee, Alabama(tiny...boring college town) without a vehicle for five years and yeah at times I wished for a quick death... If I absloutly cannot afford a car I hope that I will be able to manage...I hope. If all goes well this year I will have a vehicle...I will just have to work a bit harder...or maybe I can convince my parents to give me a late graduation gift!

[Keeper]

If you are afraid of lightening then Tpa isn't the place for you. It is the lightening capital of the world..

[Kwanger]

Originally Posted by kbs149th

Thanks for responding. I understand completely what I'll be getting myself into if I don't have a car...I lived in Tuskegee, Alabama(tiny...boring college town) without a vehicle for five years and yeah at times I wished for a quick death... If I absloutly cannot afford a car I hope that I will be able to manage...I hope. If all goes well this year I will have a vehicle...I will just have to work a bit harder...or maybe I can convince my parents to give me a late graduation gift!

No doubt about it without a car it won't be good. To reiterate what the other folks have said, public transport here is bad. Personally, I would not live here without a car, no chance at all. Why put yourself through it? Its not that great a place that you should have to - if you can't have a car, plenty of other places in the country are better.

[yukon]

Bus service in Pinellas County (St Pete) is much better than Hillsborough county (Tampa) service. Coverage from NE St Pete into downtown Tampa is pretty good (PSAT express route 100, runs all day). IF you have to live without a car, I'd recommend being vehicle-less Pinellas over Hillsborough. As for living in St Pete, try to live north of downtown/Central Ave.