Affordable housing in the SF Bay Area

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Does such a thing even exist? I put out a Craigslist ad but everyone who responded is quoting monthly rent prices from $6000+ and weekly rent of $700-$900. And the corporate housing prices are just as outrageous, plus they want double the rent up front! Does anyone who did a contract in SF or the bay area have any leads for affordable housing? I did want to bring my family but if that's the difference between something affordable and something ridiculously expensive then I'll leave them at home.

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Moved from the area years ago. The complex where I once lived, in the space of ten years, has more than doubled, almost tripled, the rent it charges for one bedroom apartments. Rents in the Bay area are not going to decrease anytime soon. Ten years ago I could only afford the apartment because at the time I applied, I had two full time jobs with overtime. When I no longer had that amount of work I had to move away.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

A friend just moved out there and is paying $3k/ month for less than 400 square feet of 'apartment'. He basically lives in an oversized closet.

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Since this is for a travel assignment and not necessarily a permanent move, you might want to consider renting a room, but be aware that rooms rent for the same, or more than, what people pay for apartments in other areas of the country.

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Specializes in Pediatric Heme/Onc/BMT.

Look outside of the city. Berkeley, parts of Oakland, Pacifica, Daly City.

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I looked in Pacifica. It's $4000 for a one bedroom there too. Geez Louise! I used to live in NYC so I know how it feels to live in an overpriced closet but even in NYC there's areas with cheaper rent that don't require a 2 hour commute! Are there no working class people in San Francisco? Where do the housekeepers and the nannies live? I need to be where they are!

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Specializes in Long Term Acute Care, TCU.

Traveling to a historic city like SF can be exciting. However, you really should have the agency deal with the housing arrangements.

My advice to anyone traveling to a locality for the first time is NEVER try to find your own housing.

Of course, you could always try Kate's Kitchen at Haight and Ashbury.

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Specializes in Pediatric Heme/Onc/BMT.

I have found housing on Airbnb twice, once in the city and another in the East Bay. It's horribly expensive and in fact the working class people are being priced out of their homes. The techies who are living in the $6000 lifts are going to have trouble finding someone to pour them a latte pretty soon.

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Specializes in Hematology/Oncology.

I have a place for 2960 for a 1 year lease in san mateo. 2br1ba. I dont know what numbers you are even getting

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Short term housing is traditionally 30% more than year long leases in balanced markets. In seller's markets such as the Bay area, it will be even higher.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.

Stay away from Berkeley and Oakland. It's just as bad. Your best bet is to go out further and commute. Fairfield, Antioch, Castro Valley, etc. As far as you can reasonable get from SF. I live in the East Bay (West Contra Costa) and it was a nightmare finding my place. So many people working in SF and Silicon Valley are branching out and it's driving up rent. I was so close to moving to Concord or even Sacramento and taking Amtrak and that's only because I was running out of time finding a place with so much competition. And yes people want first, last, plus security. You're already paying overpriced rent and have to drop 3x that amount to get a place. It's horrible.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Try concord, walnut creek, Dublin, Pleasanton, Castro valley, Livermore, San Ramon and think about commuting or taking BART to work

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