Bad area/good areas of LA- need list please

777RNThatsMe · Sep 22, 2006

i live here and can't wait to leave. yes it is beautiful and the weather is great- but there are way too many people. and what good is great weather if the air is toxic?

I don't mean to sound short or anything but, what's stopping you? It's a big world out there and there are alot of nursing jobs all over the place :nurse:

Another thing..someone else commented that childcare is expensive in CA.... guess what...I am paying 850 a month for childcare for 2 kids BEFORE/AFTER school only....in wa state. Does that sound cheap??? :rolleyes:

Sheri257 · Sep 22, 2006

Its funny to read all the bad views of California. If it was as bad as everyone said it is then no one would live htere. But it keeps getting bigger and bigger with more people moving there... so there must be something good going on out there. Otherewise everyone would just leave.

It is funny. My husband is a native Californian, and he's been hearing this stuff for decades now. He's still waiting for everybody to leave ... :chuckle

I believe they estimate that California's population will increase by another 25 million people in the next 20 years.

:typing

Sheri257 · Sep 22, 2006

I'm going to be the wet blanket. Why in the world do you want to move to CA? Especially to a major city as LA? Have you ever been here to visit? I was born and raised in LA and am currently living in the Inland Empire. It is plain overcrowded. There is practically NO optimal time to drive on the freeways or the city streets. I have to drive the 91fwy which has also been unoffically named the worlds largest continious parking lot! You MUST like driving if you are not living within a few miles of your job. You also need to consider the COST of living here. Gas alone for your car is about 30-50 cents a gallon more than the other states. Also not just the housing rental rates - but more importantly is where are your children going to go to school? Be very selective in the communities that you will live. CA education is in the toilet. There are very good public schools- but you have to find them. The school system in so overcrowded that many are on a year-round schedule. Childcare is very expensive. There should be only 1 reason to make such a big move is because whatever field/speciality of nursing you want to get into is only available in the big cities. I would strongly advise that you contact the facility that you want to work at, talk to the employess that work there and then come and visit for a week or two. Forget visiting the sights. Drive during traffic, check out the various neighborhoods at different times of the day, check out the schools for the areas you are considering moving to. Yes southern CA is a beautiful place and the weather is great- BUT depending on your ability to handle the everyday stress of living in such a crowded enviroment is more important. "have you ever gone to a big mall and driven around and around for an hour looking for just 1 parking space?" You will here.
Sorry for the rant - but I have witnessed this beautiful area changing and IMHO it is NOT for the better.

I too live in the Inland Empire, although more out in the desert where the air quality is much better. A lot of what you say is true (although, luckily, I don't have to drive much on the 91).

But here's the thing ... my house has doubled in value in the last three years, and RN wages have gone up at least 30 percent in my area. The job options are fantastic and, getting better every day.

So ... every time I get frustrated with traffic, crowds or whatever ... I just think about how much money I'll be making and how much equity I have in my house.

I've lived in places where there was no traffic or crowds and while that's really nice, there also wasn't any money to be made there either.

Remember: more traffic, crowds, etc. also means ... more money $$$$$.

:typing

rosie26 · Sep 22, 2006

I am still in school and my husband works in the film business- so that is why we are here. For the original poster- is the job in Beverly Hills something really special? It is just that the housing is so expensive there. And I don't think you'd be happy commuting to that location. Why not consider a job in the valley or Ventura county? Do you have kids? Areas in Ventura county- or on the edge- ie Agoura- are much better areas for children, IMHO.

777RNThatsMe · Sep 23, 2006

Yes, I have kids. No, the original job isn't a must have :) Just the first to quickly respond and with a decent offer.

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Sep 23, 2006

Check into St. Johns in Oxnard, or St. Johns Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, we were down there a couple of weeks ago, and I saw an ad that looked good. I used to work in Camarillo before the hospital was taken over by St. John's/CHW. You could live in Oxnard, Ventura, Camarillo, without spending hours on the road. It is an hour or two into the city, but OK if you are not driving in every day. There are other hospitals in Ventura, too.

We moved north almost 15 years ago, but still drive the 200 miles south two or three times a year. As everyone else has said, traffic has increased tremendously in the last few years, still moves along at zero to 80 mph. You have to learn do quick lane changes across several lanes of traffic. I enjoy going down to visit (we have relatives in the San Fernando Valley) but I'm glad we moved north. It takes me 6 minutes to drive to work. Starting pay for new grads is over $30 an hour. We couldn't afford to buy down south, here prices have increased, but not as much as other areas.

Good luck in your job search.

CaseRN · Oct 16, 2006

I live in an area called Culver City, it is the next city over from Beverly Hills, and My son goes to the local high school here and he loves it, he is taking Ap classes and the reputation of our schools is pretty good. Living in Culver City is like living in a small town, many things are walking distance, e-mail if you need more assistance.

Taz