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Rent is so high in San Francisco that Im a engineer and I live in a van


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2015 Oct 17, 10:28am   25,422 views  53 comments

by zzyzzx   ➕follow (5)   💰tip   ignore  

http://qz.com/524138/rent-is-so-high-in-san-francisco-that-im-a-software-engineer-and-i-live-in-a-van/

Rent is so high in San Francisco that I’m a software engineer and I live in a van

About a year ago, I was having lunch with a friend when I made a throwaway comment: “Have you seen the rent in San Francisco? If I get a job in the Bay Area, I’ll totally live in a van.”

As I sit in darkness writing this, I’m trying to keep my typing quiet, lest a real inhabitant of the neighborhood I’m parked in should walk by and wonder about the sounds coming from the rusty bus loitering on their block. Yes, you understood that correctly: Today, I work in a multi-million dollar office complex, and I live in a van.

This summer, after receiving a job offer in Silicon Valley, I went on Craigslist and began sifting through housing listings: “verrrrrryyy cheap bedroom ;),” “great deal on rent!” A single room with a shared bathroom? Two thousand per month on the low-end. A small studio apartment, you ask? If your startup wasn’t recently bought for seven figures, forget about it.

I perked up after finding a listing for $1,000 per month. Now this could work. Clicking through to the details section however revealed the offer was for a single bunk in a room with eight people, a set-up referred to as a “hacker house” by an (evil) marketing genius.

Even if I was to spend the huge majority of my salary on rent, I knew I would likely still be in a grim living situation, resenting every penny I handed over that could have gone towards paying back my student loans. And as a software engineer, I’m one of the lucky ones! Imagine those who aren’t lucky enough to be on the tech payroll.

Anyway, three weeks ago I took the equivalent of three months’ rent and bought an old red bus. It’s a 1969 VW camper van with a hole in the floor and a family of spiders that has more of a right to be here than I do (sleeping in your car on public land in California is illegal).

But with the help of Ikea and an army of cleaning supplies I was able to get the bus into livable condition.

From certain angles, it even passes for a tiny, $1,000-per-month bedroom.

Overall, I’m proud of the way my project turned out. But of course this living situation wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t already have a job that feeds me and allows me to shower and do laundry at work. I also have a network of friends who are ready to step in should a crisis emerge and offer me a temporary bed. And I am a young, white woman, which gives me the immense privilege of pulling up a creepy van and parking it without being harassed. People don’t report me; neither do they assume I’m a vagrant. They smile and ask if I need anything.

There are many people who are forced to live in their cars because they really cannot afford to live in the Bay Area. I am not technically one of them, and in doing this by choice I am inevitably appropriating their hardships. However, I am also saving hard, trying to pay off my debts, and learning a few invaluable life skills—like carpentry and how to be a fairly competent mechanic—in the process. Also, I get to flood social media with updates that basically equate to “Ha. Told you I’d do it. Look at me now. I’m in a bus. You’re going to have to pay up on the $5 bet you made that I would never go through with it.”

Article does have pictures.

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1   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 17, 10:51am  

Single SW engineer in SF not able to afford $2K rent? This shit doesn't add up.

2   FortWayne   2015 Oct 17, 10:56am  

No one is forcing her to live in Bay Area. America is a huge country, if she doesn't like it than she should move.

But as long as she is willing to live in a van, that will keep living standards pretty low since in competition they always go down to the one who accepts the shittiest position in life.

3   Tenpoundbass   2015 Oct 17, 11:35am  

Straw Man says

Single SW engineer in SF not able to afford $2K rent? This shit doesn't add up.

Not if She's not a Rock Star and only making national average salary for Junior or Mid level(corporate speak for Senoir developers that for what ever reason has never made more than thier offer).
Even if she moved there from somewhere else in the country, then chances are she topped out at $120K a year as even what the rest of the US considers a Senior devloper.
I imagine you don't simply move to Silicone Valley and expect to be greeted and treated like a Rock Star devloper at Google making $250K a year.
While I could argue with you just how far 2K a week will go in 2015 even for someone in Florida that doesn't half of the taxes that California has, it doesn't go very far.
But Florida gets us in other ways like allowing Insurance companies, banks, lenders and out sourced agencies partenered with local and state agencies to have their unabatted way with us.

4   Ceffer   2015 Oct 17, 11:44am  

I thought San Francisco issued a $5K per year tatoo allowance to every man, woman, child and 'other'. Cut some of that loose for rent, beeyatch.

5   raindoctor   2015 Oct 17, 2:42pm  

$2k * 12 = $24k post taxes = $30K pre-taxes.
I heard that living in vans reeks of distinct smell. If she does not have those problems, it is okay.

6   HEY YOU   2015 Oct 17, 3:13pm  

WTF! Fire Katharine Patterson. All jobs need to be outsourced.

As D/R voters intended.

7   B.A.C.A.H.   2015 Oct 18, 10:19am  

Straw Man says

Single SW engineer in SF not able to afford $2K rent? This shit doesn't add up.

Straw Man, are you an engineer who lives around here?
Just asking.

8   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2015 Oct 18, 1:04pm  

Tenpoundbass says

Not if She's not a Rock Star and only making national average salary for Junior or Mid level(corporate speak for Senoir developers that for what ever reason has never made more than thier offer).

Even if she moved there from somewhere else in the country, then chances are she topped out at $120K a year as even what the rest of the US considers a Senior devloper.

I imagine you don't simply move to Silicone Valley and expect to be greeted and treated like a Rock Star devloper at Google making $250K a year.

While I could argue with you just how far 2K a week will go in 2015 even for someone in Florida that doesn't half of the taxes that California has, it doesn't go very far.

But Florida gets us in other ways like allowing Insurance companies, banks, lenders and out sourced agencies partenered with local and state agencies to have their unabatted way with us.

You can afford $2K a month on $90-100K. Your take home will be ~4200-4600 per month(even putting $100-200/paycheck into a 401K). Thats even with all the CA taxes.

So meh to someone making $120K as a single person claiming they can't afford $2K a month rent.

9   zzyzzx   2015 Oct 19, 7:46am  

Article doesn't mention how much she makes.

10   Tenpoundbass   2015 Oct 19, 8:07am  

dodgerfanjohn says

So meh to someone making $120K as a single person claiming they can't afford $2K a month rent.

OK they'll crack their montly bills but they wont have much of a life. You move to towns like that, and pay the high cost of living. So you can enjoy playing in that high cost of living.
If you're only working to cover your montly spread, you'll burn out.

And don't forget, $2 grand is the starting range for rent.

11   New Renter   2015 Oct 19, 9:24am  

The solution is so obvious

http://www.citylab.com/design/2015/09/they-finally-built-george-costanzas-sleeper-desk/406042/

Shower and change at the local gym, eat at restaurants and the company break room entertainment provided by your work. Who coudl want anythign more?

This is just one more step to the ultimate employer ideal:

Must assimilate more H1B! Resistance is futile!

12   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 19, 12:31pm  

New Renter says

The solution is so obvious

People in Bay Area tech firms were in fact sleeping in their cubicles during the previous rent insanity (2000-2001).

13   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 19, 12:31pm  

B.A.C.A.H. says

Straw Man says

Single SW engineer in SF not able to afford $2K rent? This shit doesn't add up.

Straw Man, are you an engineer who lives around here?

Just asking.

Should be pretty obvious by now.

14   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 19, 12:36pm  

Ironman says

Walmart lets RV's stay overnight in their parking lots for free.

The closest Walmarts are in Oakland and MountainView. ;)

15   Vicente   2015 Oct 19, 12:38pm  

The term "software engineer" rankles me.

Are you a programmer, or not?

16   Heraclitusstudent   2015 Oct 19, 12:49pm  

New Renter says

Work for a startup with an all-included package:

17   EBGuy   2015 Oct 19, 12:51pm  

Vicente said: The term "software engineer" rankles me.
Are you a programmer, or not?

What about coder? Is this the AppNation equivalent of "web designer" from the dot-com era?

18   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 19, 12:58pm  

EBGuy says

Vicente said: The term "software engineer" rankles me.

Are you a programmer, or not?


What about coder? Is this the AppNation equivalent of "web designer" from the dot-com era?

It means "not manager". Nothing more.

19   drew_eckhardt   2015 Oct 19, 1:03pm  

In 2013 the 10% income level for Software engineers in Silicon Valley was $92,570 and $80,040 for systems and applications programmers respectively. It's higher now and about the same in San Francisco proper. That's enough padding beyond the $55,770 earned by the lowest decile nationally to cover the high rent.

Without family to support, while an engineer may choose to earn less (like working for an unfunded startup) or spend their money differently things aren't yet bad enough to force them to live in vehicles.

20   Tenpoundbass   2015 Oct 19, 1:29pm  

Engineering ended at the compiler.

90% of coders could be described as Software Novelist.
Book writers don't create a new language to write their work. They are bound and limited to the syntax and grammar of the language they are writing in.
The language engineers were the ancient Greeks that figured out an Ox head looked like an A.

21   zzyzzx   2015 Oct 19, 7:31pm  

The whole software engineer term overuse annoys me as well, since I actually do have an engineering degree.

22   B.A.C.A.H.   2015 Oct 19, 8:24pm  

Straw Man says

Should be pretty obvious by now.

Sorry it's not obvious to me, because the B.A.'s got so many Snarky Smarty-Pants it's difficult to know.

23   New Renter   2015 Oct 21, 9:29am  

I've worked with several people who had a 2+ hr commute each way each day. One was a CEO who during the week lived on a boat in the bay or on the company roof (presumably in a tent). Another was a lab tech who lived in a VW van in the parking lot but drive home on weekends. Others actually drove to and from work each day spending 4 or more hours in the car fighting bumper to bumper traffic.

24   Heraclitusstudent   2015 Oct 21, 11:12am  

A 23-year-old Google employee lives in a truck in the company's parking lot and saves 90% of his income
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-employee-lives-in-truck-in-parking-lot-2015-10

I guess this qualifies as a middle finger to the establishment that farms engineers for big profits in the SV.

25   zzyzzx   2015 Oct 21, 11:15am  

Heraclitusstudent says

A 23-year-old Google employee lives in a truck in the company's parking lot and saves 90% of his income

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-employee-lives-in-truck-in-parking-lot-2015-10

Loved how security there thought it was nice.

26   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 21, 12:33pm  

Heraclitusstudent says

A 23-year-old Google employee lives in a truck in the company's parking lot

He's into that celibacy...err... purity thing I guess...

27   Rin   2015 Oct 21, 3:17pm  

I have a better idea for ALL the guys, living and working in Silicon Valley a/o the San Francisco Bay Area ... how about setting up a huge ex-pat SV/SFBA compound in Bangkok Thailand and then, the guys all work from 8PM to noon, the "graveyard" shift, for those US corporations. Then, when they're not working, they can bang hotties to their hearts' content.

I believe that this setup will beat all other scenarios in northern California.

28   New Renter   2015 Oct 21, 3:51pm  

Rin says

I have a better idea for ALL the guys, living and working in Silicon Valley a/o the San Francisco Bay Area ... how about setting up a huge ex-pat SV/SFBA compound in Bangkok Thailand and then, the guys all work from 8PM to noon, the "graveyard" shift, for those US corporations. Then, when they're not working, they can bang hotties to their hearts' content.

I believe that this setup will beat all other scenarios in northern California.

Sounds great until the CEOs realize they can just fire the ex-pat SV/SFBA types but not before forcing them to train their 90% cheaper Thai replacements. Then it'll be the CEOs banging the Thai hotties on "business trips" to the Thai campus.

29   FuckTheMainstreamMedia   2015 Oct 21, 4:00pm  

FYI you can still bang Tenderloin hookers in your posh van.

Hardly seems necessary to move to Thailand.

30   Rin   2015 Oct 21, 4:19pm  

dodgerfanjohn says

FYI you can still bang Tenderloin hookers in your posh van.

Hardly seems necessary to move to Thailand.

Yeah right, no guy in SF's Tenderloin is getting the following ...

Now that's "Tenderloin"!

31   Heraclitusstudent   2015 Oct 21, 4:22pm  

Straw Man says

Heraclitusstudent says

A 23-year-old Google employee lives in a truck in the company's parking lot

He's into that celibacy...err... purity thing I guess...

He probably also figured out how to save dates money by going virtual.

32   MisdemeanorRebel   2015 Oct 21, 4:36pm  

High SF Rents are a Zionist plot to destroy the Bay Area and move Google HQ to Tel Aviv.

33   Booger   2015 Oct 21, 5:16pm  

dodgerfanjohn says

You can afford $2K a month on $90-100K. Your take home will be ~4200-4600 per month(even putting $100-200/paycheck into a 401K). Thats even with all the CA taxes.

So meh to someone making $120K as a single person claiming they can't afford $2K a month rent.

$100-$200/month into a 401K is way too low! That, and maybe after taxes they can afford 2K/month rent, but there will be almost nothing left.

34   New Renter   2015 Oct 21, 9:24pm  

Rin says

Yeah right, no guy in SF's Tenderloin is getting the following ...

My guess is any guy in the SF tenderloin can get something *kinda* like that without spending a dime.

(Normally I'd normally include a poignant image but in this case I'll pass)

35   Heraclitusstudent   2015 Oct 23, 12:31pm  

Average apartment rent within 10 miles of San Francisco, CA is $3512.
One bedroom apartments in San Francisco rent for $2965 a month on average.
Two bedroom apartment rents average $3853.

37   RWSGFY   2015 Oct 23, 2:10pm  

thunderlips11 says

Solution:

They already have projects in SF.

38   curious2   2015 Oct 23, 2:17pm  

https://www.youtube.com/embed/SBjXUBMkkE8

"Real estate prices have doubled in the last few years, a tent in the backyard can rent for $900/month, foreign investors are driving up prices, evictions and rent hikes are everywhere, people are commuting longer than ever, the middle class is disappearing, empty investment homes are everywhere, and locals are leaving in record numbers."

39   John Bailo   2015 Oct 23, 5:02pm  

Silicon Valley.

A place where supposedly the greatest engineering minds of a generation congregate.

They can make cars that self drive.

They can build trains that go 300mph.

The can build computers that think.

But they can't build affordable homes for themselves.

So how smart can they really be?

40   Heraclitusstudent   2015 Oct 23, 6:49pm  

curious2 says

"Real estate prices have doubled in the last few years, a tent in the backyard can rent for $900/month, foreign investors are driving up prices, evictions and rent hikes are everywhere, people are commuting longer than ever, the middle class is disappearing, empty investment homes are everywhere, and locals are leaving in record numbers."

This Deleon guy makes me laugh. He thinks it will double again because brilliant people from Google will come and buy everything.
But the truth is that there aren't enough Google couples getting $300+K to buy all of silicon valley.
The silicon valley is not made of rich people from Google. It's not made of finance guys getting millions in bonuses. It's made of many young engineers trying their lucks in startups. And these engineers get $100-120K.
Right now all other people earning less are being forced to realize it's not for them and out progressively.
Yeah young engineers can pay $2000 in rent. Yeah they can rent bunk beds, tents, garages, sleep in trucks on parkings.
But let it double again and these people will be forced to put 1 and 1 together and get the hell out too.
And startups with them.
And here goes the SV.

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