Permanent Housing

How about a little reality check?

Below are the average rents for clean and relatively safe units.

• Room: $500-600
• Studio: $600-850
• 1-Bedroom: $650-1000
• 2-Bedroom: $1100-1600

The general rule used to be that you should not spend more than one-third of your income on rent or a mortgage. From a financial standpoint that is still a good way to look at it. But the reality is that an increasing number of people, especially in large cities such as Los Angeles, have no choice but to spend close to half of their income on rent.

Buyer Beware!

Many property owners will try to make you believe you can afford to live in a unit that is really out of your reach financially. So it is up to you to make sure you will absolutely not spend more than half of your income on rent. And even then you need to assess your other bills, such as car note, insurance, etc.

Where?

The ultimate authority on finding rental units of any kind is Craigslist. Even the most prestigious property management companies advertise their vacant units on there. Be sure to narrow down your search in the appropriate fields.

Besides Craigslist, there are too many websites to mention that list rental units. A simple internet search will render tons of them including PennySaver and Socialserve.

To get on a waiting list for an affordable housing unit, go to the Housing Authority websites of individual cities or the county. They will have a list of properties. Unfortunately, you have to apply to each one separately.

How?

Generally speaking, when you want to rent an apartment from a large property management company, you will have to go through a very strict application process with tons of paperwork. On the other hand, when you apply for a room for rent in someone’s private home, it could simply be an interview and a money order, and you’re in.

Rental Application Checklist

• Money! Nothing gets you into a unit faster than a big deposit. The rule of thumb is double the rent to get in. So $1500 to get into a studio that is $750 a month. If your credit is bad, you may need an even larger deposit to win over the landlord’s trust.
• Two recent pay stubs, and any additional income verifications (SSI, etc).
• Credit report. Know what the prospective landlord will be looking at, and make sure it is accurate. Also, be prepared to explain your shortcomings.
• Letters of recommendation are a big plus.
• Personal identification: driver’s license, social security card, etc.

When you are ready to sign a lease, request to take it home and go over it with someone older and wiser than yourself to make sure you are not signing for anything you may regret.

Leasing Vs. Month-To-Month

Nearly all rental units require you to sign a lease nowadays. The lease is for a predetermined amount of time, usually a year, and at the end of the lease, the contract automatically becomes month-to-month. What does this mean? Signing a year lease means you are required to pay the monthly rent for twelve consecutive months. So, if you change your mind after six months, and you skip town, the landlord can sue you for the remaining six months of rent, whether you actually live in the unit or not. But it’s not all bad. The landlord cannot increase the rent for the duration of the lease.

When the contract is, or becomes, month-to-month, as the name suggests, you are free to leave at any time with one month’s notice. Additionally, the landlord can also ask you to leave at any time with one month's notice.

What Is Section 8?

Section 8 is a rent voucher program for families, the elderly, and the disabled. Even though single adults are allowed to apply and get on the waiting list, at this time they are not eligible to receive the voucher. This will most likely not change any time soon, since the waiting list is still enormous.

How does Section 8 work?

Depending on your income, the voucher is a check to the landlord to help you pay the rent. It is important to realize though that not all landlords accept Section 8 vouchers. So you will be limited in the places where you can live.

You can apply for Section 8 online, through the LA County website.

What Is Public Housing?

Public Housing is affordable housing for eligible families, elderly, and the disabled. But instead of receiving a rent voucher, the eligible persons will live in a specific property, as vacancies open up. In other words, you are extremely limited in your choice of neighborhood so take the time to find out about crime rates to make sure you will be in a safe area. However, the majority of properties now managed by the County are in safer and nicer neighborhoods.

Housing Tips:

• There are many large property management companies where you can go into their main office and apply for qualification. Then once you are qualified, you can simply look at their current vacancies to see where you want to live. This can save you a lot of time and driving around.
• You should not only rely on the internet when searching for a place to rent. Drive around in the area you wish to live. Many property owners still post signs in the yard. This way you have an immediate idea of the ‘feel’ of the property.
• Do not hire a service to find you listings as they will simply give you the listings you can easily find yourself online.