Know what you can afford. 

This is a critical step to maintain your housing now and in the future. Start with a monthly amount that is based on your current income. Best practices state that you should spend no more than a third of your income. Use the calculator to the right and input your monthly income. We will give you our recommendation of the maximum you should spend on rent.

 Everyone wants to live on the beach but it's not affordable for most of us. Be open to exploring new and different neighborhoods. San Diego County is rich with great cities, towns and neighborhoods to suit any one.

San Diego is comprised of a plethora of cities and towns - both incorporated and unincorporated. Along the coast, rent payments tend to be higher. Obviously, rent drops from there as you move inland, but that doesn't hold true for the entire county of San Diego. You'll want to know about these rough estimates for rent throughout various parts of the city and county. From most expensive to least expensive, here are the main areas:

* Beaches 
* Downtown 
* North County 
* East County

+ Note: Rent rates depend and can vary greatly in each area. Some properties in one area may be higher than others, but this is a general scale.

The lowest price you'll be able to find an apartment in San Diego is somewhere around $700. Of course, you aren't going to be getting much if you settle for such a small rent payment. Rent for apartments can climb passed $2,000 per month, so you'll need to know where you can afford to live and where you want to live. No matter what, you don't want to just go out and pick a random apartment without knowing what you're getting.

(3 continued) Properties near the beach, in downtown, or in North County are likely to have the most expensive apartment rentals. Also, this means that they will have very few properties available at lower prices. These areas are better suited for individuals and families with some money to spend on rent each month with extra money afterward. Without much deviation, you won't find many good apartments for under $1,000 here. You're more likely to spend closer to $1,500 or more in these areas. As a reference, some of the actual cities located in these areas are:
    La Jolla, Pacific Beach, City of San Diego, Escondido and San Marcos

On the other hand, areas in and around East County are generally much less expensive. You'll be able to find a property for $800 to $1,100 without much difficulty. It just depends upon how many rooms you need and how nice of an apartment you are looking for. In East County, there are plenty of different apartments to sift through, but you should be able to tell which ones are for you and those that aren't . Some of the areas in East County include: Alpine , El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee 

What You're Getting 

When you rent an apartment in San Diego, you'll usually have some of your utilities included in your rent. Obviously, it's nice to have some of your utilities included with your rent payment. Some utilities commonly included in apartment rent payments in San Diego are water and trash removal. On the other hand, you should probably expect to be paying for some or all of the following utilities: Gas, Electric and  Water

Many apartment complexes in San Diego come with pools or fitness centers. Also, recreation halls and other amenities can be found in some complexes. You might be able to find a gated apartment community, which many people prefer but others do not. Other apartment complexes may even have dog trails or other nice additions that you wouldn't expect to find there. Of course, you'll also find those places that have just the basics, such as on-site laundry and your actual apartment - without much else.

source: Associated Content from Yahoo.

 People on a fixed income, like Social Security, have very little money for rent and utilities. Yet, there are quite a few options available depending on your qualifications. 



Here are a few links to housing assistance programs.  

• Phone and Utility Assistance
  
• Rent & Utility Assistance for People living with HIV/AIDS
  
• Click here for other information about County provided rental assistance and emergency housing programs. 
  
• Information on applying for Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers) in the City of San Diego.
• Information on Section 8 in other parts of San Diego County

 It is the law to allow people to live in the housing they want and can afford. Discrimination in housing is illegal. Tehants have rights and you should know them. Click on this document to read or print.
For information on housing issues, including evictions, fair housing and other relevant information, check one of these options

Townspeople works for you each day to find affordable housing just waiting for you. 

Click any of the options below to find a place you can call home..

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