Once things are starting to look home-like inside I’ll post some more interior pictures; in the meantime, here are a few of the unadorned space & environs, along with a big thank all of you who’ve been so encouraging here, on other online venues & in 3-D life! This has been a major adventure, with a number of highs & lows—as adventures are wont to have—& all the support I’ve received from folks in both the cyber & 3-D realms has meant a lot to me.
Given the strain on resources & the social service funding cuts here in the States, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have found housing I can afford in a span of less than four months. Section 8, which allows low income/fixed income renters to get assistance with qualified units on the open market, is closed in Portland & many US cities due to funding cuts; that was a strike against me, because two rental possibilities came up early on that would have worked had Section 8 been available to me. A number of units also are available—theoretically, at least—where the rent is 30% of the person/family’s income. These are designated, of course, for low income people, including seniors & the disabled (I am in low income bracket, & also disabled; & by some definitions also a “senior,” since some properties class anyone 55 & up in that category.) This was the type of housing I wanted most to obtain, since it would have been the most affordable; unfortunately, the waiting lists for most of those units are closed in Portland (& other US cities), due to high demand. When the waiting lists are open, the wait time is typically years, not months.
My new place is for low income residents, tho within the complex itself there is some range in income—units vary in their cost depending on where the person or family’s income falls in relation to the median area income. I was extremely fortunate that one of the lowest priced units was available when my turn on the waiting list came up. Tho things will be tight, it is a rent that I can sustain with a very “no frills” lifestyle.
The complex has a lot going for it—everything’s on the “ground floor,” including the laundry facilities. This is important to me, because with COPD, stairs are not my friend! The apartment itself is very trim & well maintained, & the grounds seem pleasant & well kept (even in the Portland November rain.) I also like the fact that the complex has a mixed population—families & younger people, as well as banged-up old codgers like me!
One practical note in terms of the blog: I wasn’t able to schedule the wireless hook-up until Monday morning. As of this time I don’t anticipate any off-days; I’m expecting that I’ll be able to get the Photo of the Week & Monday Morning Blues features scheduled ahead of time. However, I may not be able to moderate comments using my phone, which will be the only ‘net access I have between Friday evening & Monday morning.
Thanks again, & hope you enjoy your weekend!
Best of luck with the move! Don't work TOO hard! If you're anything like me, you'll be unpacking at 3:00 a.m. (try to resist that). It will all get done soon enough!
ReplyDeleteKat
Swell digs. The crunch for low-income housing being what it is, it's a wonderful outcome for your exasperating search. Now to put out the doilies, the antimacassars, and the painting of the dogs playing poker.
ReplyDeleteHi Kat & Jacqueline: The early commenters get the moderation! Won't be taking the computer off line for an hour or so.
ReplyDeleteKat: I hear you--am thinking I'll be needing some major rest times over the weekend. Thanks so much!
Jacqueline: Thanks! I've been extremely fortunate, because the housing crunch is very very real. Say, how did you know about that painting? :)
@Jacqueline - Oh, my collection of antimacassars is hiding in the closet! Must get them out for Christmas... NOT!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, John! Best wishes for your move-in weekend!
ReplyDeleteAudrey
(the "Prof. id has to do with my participation on a student blog. I know it looks funny here!)
Your new place looks great!
ReplyDeleteI have to offer you a word of thanks, because of your blog, and your posts about jazz and blues artists from the early days, a character I have had running around in my head for two years, finally has found his proper setting in time and vocation. I have a lot of research ahead of me before I can begin a new novel, but I am happy to know I finally have a setting. Other characters are appearing in my imagination as well.
Wishing you the best in your new home!
Exciting! It looks like you have a nice space and having convenient laundry facilities is a huge plus.
ReplyDeleteI also like the fact that the complex has a mixed population
Maybe you've written about this before, but does the complex have any kind of communal activities, like block party kind of events, bbqs, something like that... if so playing music at the events could be great.
Congrats, John. Looks plenty homey to me. Hey, I'll be interested in hearing about Portland rain. I know it and Seattle are supposed to be great cities, but if hearsay is true, I couldn't handle the grey and wet (not that Michigan is much better).
ReplyDeleteHi Audrey, Joyce, HKatz & Banjo52: Sorry it took so long to get the comments moderated. Just got internet this morning.
ReplyDeleteAudrey: But it's fun to think of you as Professor Bilger! Thanks so much for the good wishes, my friend.
Joyce: Wow, that's fantastic; glad that the music posts were able to help you find some writing inspiration. & thanks so much for the good wishes.
HKatz: Great suggestion! I'll look into that--& thanks for your good wishes!
Banjo52: Portland & Seattle are notorious for their rainy winters. As I understand it, Seattle is a fair amount more rainy than Portland, but it does rain a lot here, especially from November thru much of the spring--not clear on when it starts to peter out. Of course, the dry season/rainy season is a phenomenon all up & down the west coast: while it rains less in San Francisco than here, SF also has rainy winters, & even LA does (tho again, much less so even than SF.) What I like about west coast winter is that it's moderate--the Pacific has huge effects on the climate & keeps this part of the country relatively mild in terms of temps during the winter, despite the fact that, e.g., Portland & Seattle are quite far north. Because my lung condition is really affected by cold weather, this makes it much easier for me to remain active in the winter than if I'm somewhere that the daytime temps are frequently in the 20s & lower from December-February, as was the case in Idaho. Also, where I lived in Idaho was a valley & as is the case in so many western valleys, it was very prone to inversions, & those are hard on a person w/a lung condition. So Portland is a real step up for me in terms of climate!