any advice about how not to be homeless???

So this is very hard to say in a (semi) public space but in a week I am going to be homeless. Long story short I live with my father who was to ashmed to tell me the house was getting forclosed. I have no rent history I just lived with my dad and the barracks when I was in the army. With out a rent history every appartment needs to see that you gross 3x the rent. I don't. But that is a diffrent problem. Right now the only way out I see is low income houseing. That takes more than a week and I don't like takeing government handouts. Any advice?

Head on over to Madison. There is a decent chance that student housing does not require grossing 3x the rent.

Where is your dad going? Any friends you can bum a couch off of for awhile? What about a low-buck motel? They often have week long rates for not much money--as low as $100 a week.

It seems that you are very limited on options. A lot of people don't want to take government handouts, but it seems that this maybe one of those times you are going to need to, at least for a little while until you can find something better.

Also, in this day in age with people more opting to rent than to own, I'm surprised that it is such a problem to rent an apartment. At the worst where I live, the landlord does a credit check.

I would see about getting some stuff into a storage space temporarily and you may have to stay at a Motel 6 for a week until you get a place. I had a friend have a similar situation and he took that route.

Month to month rooms:
http://madison.craigslist.org/roo/2851589764.html
http://madison.craigslist.org/roo/2833005821.html
http://madison.craigslist.org/roo/2832995628.html (Same as above but on week-week basis)

Cruise the craigslist.

Are you a member of any Church or Synagogue? My cousin found a garage apartment through the Church when he had to relocate on super short notice, it worked out very well for him.

mtn has the right idea. There are places out there, you just need to look hard. Craigslist is a good place to look.

Do you have a job?

Do you have anything saved away?

many landlords WILL accept you if you show that you CAN and WILL be able to pay your rent.

I should say that I do have friends who will put me up, but I will need a long term solution. I may very well need to take a handout short term. The funny problem that I face is I don't like spending money I don't have, aka credit. I do have a resonable amount of money and a nice 401k going but no credit and no renters history. This is a problem of my own creation that I should have seen comeing but like most big things it blindsided me.

I applaud your candor. I was in a similar position when I was forced to leave L.A. We decided to move to Austin and we lived in a Motel 6 for a month and lived off peanut butter and ramen noodles until we found jobs and had an income we could claim.

Often times the going weekly rate for a Motel 6 (or similar) is about the same as monthly rent and they don't check history. As long as you pay the bill, you have a room. No contracts, no worries.

Not glamorous, but its a roof.

Right now the thought going through my head is get some place like a room or low income houseing and use that to get a rent history. any thoughts on how long that might take?

AND... you served your country in the military. If anyone deserves "government handouts" its people like you. I am like you, I don't apply for food stamps or welfare, but if anyone deserves it, its you.

Call up you nearest military base and see if they have anything; re-enlist, financial aid, civilian jobs with housing?

junkbuggie wrote: I should say that I do have friends who will put me up, but I will need a long term solution. I may very well need to take a handout short term. The funny problem that I face is I don't like spending money I don't have, aka credit. I do have a resonable amount of money and a nice 401k going but no credit and no renters history. This is a problem of my own creation that I should have seen comeing but like most big things it blindsided me.

Reasonable amount as in how much? Around here, if you don't have good credit or don't have a cosigner, they will still lease to you if you pay 3 months in advance--specifically for the place that my girlfriend is looking at (grad student with no credit) it is the security deposit, first months rent, and last two months rent.

I'm sorry you're in this unfortunate situation, I hope I never have to go through it but I admire your candor (as curtis said).

I respect that you don't want to take any handouts but it is times like these for which they are intended.

If you really feel bad about it just remember the scene in Cinderella Man where Russell Crowe goes back and pays off his debt to the government...even when it wasn't required.

junkbuggie wrote: Right now the thought going through my head is get some place like a room or low income houseing and use that to get a rent history. any thoughts on how long that might take?

Depending on the area, not long. When we finally got an apartment in Austin we simply had to show an income. They didn't care about rent history. We strolled into L.A. with zero proof of anything and got a luxury loft with just a handshake. Totally depends on the management/landlord.

Some states/areas are allowed to require proof of rental history, but most don't. Check the laws where you are. Chances are they are allowed to ask you, but not require it as a condition of your tenantship.

yea.. the place I am in.. all they wanted was first month and last month.. they never even looked at my credit.

The utilities were a different matter.

I will defently look into the 3months in advance thing. Also I do plan on stoping by the VA to see if they can help. I have given some thought about going back in the army but that is the last option, not off the table just the last. What has me worried is I read the fine print on the application forms. it has been my experince that bigger companys tend to be more rigid about rules.

Just rented an apartment despite not having a job. Stated what was in my bank accounts (enough to live a while without a job) and what was going on with my employment (actively looking and going to get something in the meantime), they ran my credit (not really established) and all was good.

my point is.. Have you been rejected for the renters history? My experiences have not been as rough as you are indicating. (note, some landlords are pickier then others, cheaper apartments are more lenient)

Apexcarver wrote: my point is.. Have you been rejected for the renters history? My experiences have not been as rough as you are indicating. (note, some landlords are pickier then others, cheaper apartments are more lenient)

I just found out 2 days ago that I need to be out by the 21st. So I called a bunch of appartments got prices, did some number crunching and set up a bunch of appointments to look at appartments, then today I looked at said appartments got the application forms filled them out and read them, that is when I got scared.

To be completly frank I could be blowing this way out of proportion and hopfuly I am.

You are. You could always just get a roommate like on craigslist or something.

You need to stop looking for apartments and start looking for people who need a room-mate.

The week to week and even month to month rooms and efficiencies work well for many a migrant worker. They can work well for you as well.

The local listings for rooms to rent. Many can be moved into the next day or so, if things are amicable between the parties.

For little local listings of rooms for rent, the local library board, the community college lounge board, grocery store boards, coffee shops, fast food stores often have a board as well.

There are times to hold out for wonderfullness, and times to take what you can find.

County offices also are a good place to touch base with. Mens shelters, various other living arangements.

And if you do in fact live out of your car, the truck stops will often let you use the shower for a nominal fee. A few pillows and a nice blanket make almost car reasonably comfortable for a night or two or even three.

Tents in a campground aren't bad, especially if you use the right sort of tent. Sometimes you can camp in a friends back yard for quite a long time. Worse comes to worse, you camp in the back of a quiet park. Get a subdued color tent to hide.

If you're a church type, and especially if you're a member of one, talk to the church.

And apply for government aid. It is not the governments money, it is mine and I think you are an excellent candidate for a hand up. Keep looking "Luck is where opportunity meets preparation".

There are week to week rental places everywhere. They cater to people with no money. And by "no money" I mean the make no money, have no money, nobody wants to loan them money, types. You sound several steps above that so they would be glad to have you.

As has been said, there are beaucoup weekly to monthly motels. Look for a garage apartment at someone's home or even a room in a home.

junkbuggie wrote: I should say that I do have friends who will put me up, but I will need a long term solution. I may very well need to take a handout short term. The funny problem that I face is I don't like spending money I don't have, aka credit. I do have a resonable amount of money and a nice 401k going but no credit and no renters history. This is a problem of my own creation that I should have seen comeing but like most big things it blindsided me.

Money talks, and you've got that. Not all apartments are run by huge inflexible corporations - some are run by smaller corporations or somebody who preferred to make a retirement account out of a bunch of apartments instead of a stock portfolio. Look around and you should be able to find someone that'll let you pay upfront or pay a bigger deposit.

Rental houses and duplicate are more likely to be run by individuals with brains than a huge corporate entity that puts drones in charge. Another thing to look into.

The extended stay hotels are a good alternate plan.