Housing problem for next week's assignment

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This is my third travel assignment and my first one with Cross Country. I'll be starting in DC next Tuesday, and just found out about my housing yesterday. Turns out they put me in Alexandria, VA - which can easily be an hour or more away from the hospital, with traffic. My other option was to stay a little closer, in Arlington, but she said I would have to pay an additional $118 per month because it was "over their budget." Has anybody ever heard of something like this? I called my recruiter and complained that I shouldn't have to pay $118 to have housing within a decent commute time. That was yesterday; I'm still waiting to hear back from her if she was able to do anything about it. The biggest reason I switched to Cross Country was because I wasn't happy with the commute times American Mobile was giving me - also averaging an hour. I thought about taking the stipend with Cross Country, but it was only $1,600/month. In DC that will get you a broom closet.

I don't understand why it's so hard to get housing within a decent commute time. Does anybody else have this problem?

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Sure, because closer housing that meets the standards of the housing department often costs significantly more. Are you willing to settle for substandard housing? The only real solution is to look for your own housing, a significant nuisance of course. I took that road early in my travel career (happened to be with Cross Country) because I had "special needs". I like to commute by bicycle as driving to work puts me in a bad mood. Agencies (rightly) think housing 7 miles away is convenient for most travelers, but it is not quite close enough for a comfortable commute by bicycle with a 12 hour shift. So I have always found my own housing after that. It has two other benefits as well, I've always had money left over from my stipend, and I get to live close to the action. When I worked in DC, I lived in DC. Way better than trying to get into the city from remote housing.

If you don't want to find your own housing, I completely understand though. For me, I wouldn't like paying the $118 a month extra, but I probably would pay it in your shoes. Let's say it saves an hour a day in commute time (half hour away instead of one hour). That is 12 hours saved a month. I think your time and comfort, and perhaps a little extra sleep is worth more than $10 an hour saved. Try to squeeze it out of your agency first of course, just as you are doing.

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Thanks for your response, NedRN. I just got a call from the housing department and they are switching me to the housing in Arlington without me paying extra. Yay! I live about 3 hours away from DC, so I'll be using a fraction of the allotted travel reimbursement. They're going to borrow money from that to pay the extra housing.

For future reference, what is the best way that you have found to secure your own housing? I've looked online in the past and, short of rooming with strangers from craigslist, I haven't been able to find anything within my stipend.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

While it is great that your recruiter was able to work with you, I really doubt it was going to take you over an hour to get to work from the Alexandria place. The apartment complex on my street in Alexandria is a popular one used by travel nurse companies, and it only takes me 15-20 min to get to work. Regardless of working days or nights it has never taken me an hour to get to work.

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Craigslist was super strong ten years ago in DC and I got a great place with a gay couple in SW waterfront DC a mile from the Mall. Yes, I room with strangers, and I work with strangers. Temporarily. Then they are friends and colleagues. Sometimes I land private housing, but it is almost always memorable compared to agency supplied housing (which is only occasionally memorable).

When traveling was first invented (before my time), it was common to share bedrooms! Yes, four to a two bedroom apartment. I won't do that (other than with an SO), and no one would put up with my snoring anyway (including most SO's too).

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Hi everyone, I'm a dialysis RN hoping to start my assignment at Santa Clara/Fremont CA by the end of May. I'm traveling with my wife and a small dog. Does anyone know where I can find housing ex: one bedroom near my assignment area? I'm having a hard time finding a place and I am nowhere near the area to look for one personally. Anything helps. Thanks!

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Specializes in They know this too!.
Hi everyone, I'm a dialysis RN hoping to start my assignment at Santa Clara/Fremont CA by the end of May. I'm traveling with my wife and a small dog. Does anyone know where I can find housing ex: one bedroom near my assignment area? I'm having a hard time finding a place and I am nowhere near the area to look for one personally. Anything helps. Thanks!

Craigslist is your best bet. Otherwise your agency should be able to help you.

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Hi everyone I'm a dialysis RN hoping to start my assignment at Santa Clara/Fremont CA by the end of May. I'm traveling with my wife and a small dog. Does anyone know where I can find housing ex: one bedroom near my assignment area? I'm having a hard time finding a place and I am nowhere near the area to look for one personally. Anything helps. Thanks![/quote']

This is the fourth time you've posted this in various threads. Check Craigslist, airbnb, or take your agency housing. Those are your three viable options.

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This is the fourth time you've posted this in various threads. Check Craigslist, airbnb, or take your agency housing. Those are your three viable options.

Spamming all the threads is annoying, but there are a few more options. There are third party options such as Traveler's Haven (agencies use them) and they state they are the largest provider of temporary healthcare housing in the country. The person (and his little dog too) can rent a week at an extended stay when they get to the assignment, and the wife can now check out in person local housing with the little dog while the traveler works. They might also like the extended stay enough to stay for the whole assignment.

Travelers can also expand possibilities by checking local papers, especially the free ones in California, and bulletin boards at hospitals and colleges locally. Also local property management firms. While I've never used Traveler's Haven, I have used every other mentioned method to find housing successfully.

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Thank you. Sorry for the spam. I didn't know it was illegal to post the same comment on different forums.

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Not illegal, just bad etiquette. Picture going to party where you don't know anyone and blurting out a personal problem to a group of four who are discussing something different, and then doing it again to each individual in a group. None of them would want to talk to you again.

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Thanks NedRN. I'm new here I don't know my way around. Peace!

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