Housing arrangements for First Assignment

[aggienut]

Hello all,

This may have been asked before but I cannot find it on the forums. I am probably putting the cart before the horse (I am taking the written in a couple weeks ha ha) but I am curious what others have done when they graduate from the academy and get uprooted halfway across the state from their house, wife and kids.

I live in Sacramento about 15 minutes from the academy (so in a sense I have it easy 'cause if I get that far I can go home on weekends easily), own a house, married, 4th grader in school, wife has a really good job here, etc etc.

Of course, rookies hardly ever get into the Valley or Northern Division. I would not mind the Bay Area as at least I would be a couple or few hours drive away, but its not exactly cheap to live there.

I guess I am just curious if others have been in this position. I feel selling our house and moving is not a very likely scanario, so I am thinking renting....but its not cheap down there and house payment + rent=bounced check.

Your help and thoughts would be much appreciated.

[retchp]

Many officers commute from the Bay Area to Sacramento area homes. Some do it for many years wearing out many vehicles in the process. Some car pool.

Living in the Vacaville area is called "the 50 yard line" because it is halfway between Sacramento and the Bay Area, but housing is no longer inexpensive there.

As there are more and more 500K homes sprouting up that used to be 100K homes this is going to be a tough problem for anyone with a family making the money we make. I bought my first home in Sacramento for 17K in 1970. Today it would sell for about 250K. Same little cracker box tract house in a not so hot area. Unbelievable! I don't have a good answer for this problem because there really isn't one.

If you pass everything and get sent to SOCAL its even going to more of a big deal in your life.

The good news is that you can do it if you really want the job. There is a way to figure it all out because others are currently doing the same thing. I hope you get some better input than I just gave you and I'm glad I am in my "last" house too, because it would be a real problem to try to make payments on a 500K home on what I bring home which is actually a decent amount of money if I count all sources of income.

I really would like to hear from some young officers who are going to hopefully answer this thorny question and give some good advice to cadets and possible cadets.

Very good thread start aggienut.

[aggienut]

Thanks for the post rechp.

I know exactly what you are talking about. I actually commuted 125 miles a day from Sacramento to Fairfield (and everywhere in between when I was in college in Davis) for 7 years until just this last year (working in the real estate industry ironically). I handled many deals with SFPD officers and CHP officers who were doing a Solano Co. to Bay Area commute.

Personally, I think with the rising home values the last several years this must be really big issue for many cadets/rookies, particularly the "older" ones like me--not 30 but well past 21 :smile: who are already established in a particular area.

Hopefully, good things will happen. I really want to do this if the department will have me so here is to that.

Look forward to further discussion

[rookie1]

been thinking about that very same thing myself. thought about buying a travel trailer and living in a park somewhere. but i hear that is costing like 500 a month. i just started my b.i and we just had our year anniversiy in our new home,cant afford to sell it. so i might be looking in the classifieds wherever i might be going if i get that far....

[Mary-1]

I did that commute for a few years. Another option is that if you make it to getting an assignment in the academy, you can post at the office you get that you would like to rent a room. Pretty common in the bay area.

[Tom]

been thinking about that very same thing myself. thought about buying a travel trailer and living in a park somewhere. but i hear that is costing like 500 a month. i just started my b.i and we just had our year anniversiy in our new home,cant afford to sell it. so i might be looking in the classifieds wherever i might be going if i get that far....

I know lots of people that have done that.....its a pretty good idea and can still save you some bucks!

[chp36]

I ended up in the same boat when I graduated. I owned a home in the Central Valley, wife and kids. I rented my house out while we spent two and a half years in Los Angeles. We rented down there, and when I got my transfer back home, I booted the renters out of my home and moved back in. I felt it to be a risk at the time, but thank God we did it that way. While we were down south the value of our home jumped tremendously.

I have also known other officers who did not want to move their families. They either had or purchased a travel trailer and rented a campsiet (on a monthly basis) within traveling distance of their first office and commuted home to their families on their days off.

[Chippysgt]

When I got my spot at the Academy I was living in LA. I moved my pregnant wife up to Sacramento and went to the Academy. When I graduated, I went to Norwalk (now Santa Fe Springs) and my wife, new daughter and we moved to Bellflower and rented an apartment. After a year I transferred to Riverside and bought a house on the GI bill. Brand new 4 bedroom and it cost 19K in 1968. I had no idea how we were going to make the $151 a month house payments on the $650 a month I was making but we did. From there I transferred to Woodland in Yolo Co, sold the house in Riverside and bought a house in Woodland. Got a divorce in Woodland, moved back to an apartment, met a gal who owned a house and married her (she had a lot more than that going for her). We sold her house and bought a condo. Then sold the condo and bought a house. A couple of years later I got promoted and we moved back to LA where I was a Sgt in Santa Fe Springs. We sold the Woodland house and bought a house in Diamond Bar. I lived with another Sgt in Cypress until we found the place in Diamond Bar. Three years later I transferred to Merced, sold the house in Diamond Bar and bought a house in Merced.
I made money on every house I sold, I graduated up to nicer and nicer houses each time.

The point is that being on the CHP can mean moving at least a few times, even without promotion and that is part of the job. I never wanted to commute hundreds of miles a day or live somewhere and go home on the weekends but that is a presonal choice. I know real estate is higher these days but there is still appreciation and it is still a good investment. After reading his question I did some checking for real estate prices in the LA area and I think there is still affordable housing if you are willing to look at things in the $250-350K range. It may be a townhouse or condo but that is a start. If you can do like CHP36 did, that is a good option, rent out the house you own and rent a place where you are going until you can come back but always keep in mind that it can be a long time before openings happen in many areas.

My last thought is that if the department does go to 12 hour shifts that might make a long commute tolerable but I would have to have a crash pad, maybe with some other guys, until the days off come.

[LadyCadet]

I'm in the same situation. I live in Sacramento, own a house, have 3 kids in school, and on top of that have a husband who is in the Navy and is constantly deployed, I'm like a single parent. As it is I rarely see him. I'm hoping to be able able to stay in Sacramento or at least the bay area, all my in-laws live in San Jose so I'd have a place to stay and childcare. When you're in a situation like that you really have to stop and ask yourself, "How much do you want this, what are you willing to do to get it, and what are you willing to give up for it?" If you still want it, then go for it, hope for the best and settle with what you get.

[G-Man]

I'm in the same situation. I live in Sacramento, own a house, have 3 kids in school, and on top of that have a husband who is in the Navy and is constantly deployed, I'm like a single parent. As it is I rarely see him. I'm hoping to be able able to stay in Sacramento or at least the bay area, all my in-laws live in San Jose so I'd have a place to stay and childcare. When you're in a situation like that you really have to stop and ask yourself, "How much do you want this, what are you willing to do to get it, and what are you willing to give up for it?" If you still want it, then go for it, hope for the best and settle with what you get.

You probably won't get Sacramento out of the Academy. San Jose is a good bet, as are most of the Bay Area Offices.

[makakona]

I'm in the same situation. I live in Sacramento, own a house, have 3 kids in school, and on top of that have a husband who is in the Navy and is constantly deployed, I'm like a single parent.

HUGE pet peeve. a single parent doesn't have a spouse's emotional, spiritual, or financial support. regardless of where your husband is in the world, he's a sharing partner in your marriage, household, and parenting. single parents don't have that.

as for the original post, most people we know, when they were unable to get somewhere close to home, packed up and moved the family. sure, you may get to live in lovely south central los angeles in an expensive and crappy rental for a while, but hey! you'll all be together as a family! and that's something you just can't put a pricetag on...

[CHPmedic2B]

I can't help you with most of your question but i can tell you that if you get posted in the bay area it's do-able--Not fun-- but do able. When i was doing my medic internship i commuted 4days a week to richmond. I did get lucky in that i was working nights so i managed to miss traffic making the commute only about 1 1/2hrs. Gas costed me about 500 bucks a month. If you really want this you will figure something out. Best of luck!

BTW are you taking the written on jan 20th? If so, i'll be there! Good luck with that too!

[LadyCadet]

[quote=LadyCadet]I'm in the same situation. I live in Sacramento, own a house, have 3 kids in school, and on top of that have a husband who is in the Navy and is constantly deployed, I'm like a single parent.

HUGE pet peeve. a single parent doesn't have a spouse's emotional, spiritual, or financial support. regardless of where your husband is in the world, he's a sharing partner in your marriage, household, and parenting. single parents don't have that.

Please don't take away from the sacrifice that military wives make. We've had to live in forein countries with no family or friends around. We've had babies with out our husbands there to hold our hand. We've had to explain to our children who are too young to understand why daddy isn't there for birthdays, christmas, new years, etc. We've been alone on our aniversary. Everyone understands the sacrifice that active duty members make but how many people stop to think of the families that are there to make it possible for them to serve? We are there to support thier dreams and many times have to give up our own to go where they go.

[KingTriton]

LadyCadet,

Let me just say, Thank you! On behalf of all us that have and are serving in duty stations away from home. I have to be honest, if it wasnt for my wife or family, I would never have been able to realize some of my dreams. Because of her support, love and friendship, I have realized I can do just about anything as long as she and I are one (sometimes one on seperate continents). I am sure your husband feels the same as do many spouses for the ones supporting them from home.
Many a time, we have sat around and talked about our wives and how much we miss them and we would laugh about how they would nag us...hahahaha...the things you miss when you are deployed.

Again, thank you for taking care of your sailor,

[makakona]

Please don't take away from the sacrifice that military wives make. We've had to live in forein countries with no family or friends around. We've had babies with out our husbands there to hold our hand. We've had to explain to our children who are too young to understand why daddy isn't there for birthdays, christmas, new years, etc. We've been alone on our aniversary. Everyone understands the sacrifice that active duty members make but how many people stop to think of the families that are there to make it possible for them to serve? We are there to support thier dreams and many times have to give up our own to go where they go.
yes, you're right... WE do make a lot of sacrifices. my husband served 8.5 years active duty before separating and two weeks later moving 500-something miles away from us for the duration of the chp academy. i'm well aware of the sacrifices military families make, which is probably why it grates me so much when people make poor comparisons about that life.

one thing i always remembered... no matter how much it sucked, it was something *i* signed up for, being a military wife. it's a thought that's continued to serve me well as a chp wife, when my husband works every holiday or when we don't see him for three days straight or when he's hanging out in a nasty neighborhood looking for someone who just tried to kill two officers or when i'm in pre-term labor and he's working, which means i get to drag two rambunctious toddlers to the hospital. (gee, EVERYone in his office will know who i am now, ha!) we're all entitled to our venting time, but the "woe is me, the married single mom" mindset just isn't something that's ever sat well with me.

[aggienut]

Well....this aspect of the whole deal is becoming the deal breaker for me. I have spent hours in conversations with my wife, an old college classmate (I was 20 he was 50 and just retired from CHP) and my in-laws (all cops) and come to conclusion that the CHP is probably not the best choice because of the relocation issues.

While I am still moving forward with the CHP application process, I am also entering into testing for the POST Academy so that I could work in law enforcement and still be local (every city and county in the greater Sacramento area is screaming for officers).

While there are many advantages to the CHP track, for me, the drawbacks may be greater particularly given the POST option.

I guess that is what separates me from the CHP die hards huh?

[cacop]

Aggienut,

Relocation issues were the deal breaker for me as well. I breezed right through the hiring process and was good to go. I'm already a police officer and am very familiar with CHP and their duties. As a PO in a smaller agency we do our own TA's, pull traffic, issue citations, etc etc.... I enjoy traffic and have been offered a motors position at my agency (turned it down...looking to lateral transfer)

The problem, however, was after we really sat down and looked at the pros/cons of the CHP FOR ME (disclaimer: I SAID ME, NOT ANYONE ELSE READING THIS) it would was not the right direction to follow.

Money was a huge issue, but a bigger issue for us was packing up our home and moving somewhere we did not want to be for an unknown period of time. WE did that as a family while I was in the military and we were tired of it then, now it is not even an option.

The CHP money now compared to other local agencies around us is behind, e.g. Fresno PD/SO and Clovis. I realized if traffic is truely the route that is right for me then I could go motors.

I did the research and could not imagine trying to survive on a salary comparable to the CHP'S in the bay area or LA. I personally at 30 years old with a wife and two kids do not want to be living in a travel trailor either during my days on either.

It's a personal decision we all have to make. Only you know what is right for you and your family. Am i bummed? Sure I am a little, but again for ME and MY FAMILY it would have been the wrong choice.

Look at it from this angle as well, if you go get your POST certificate and work for a local agency and decide later you want to go CHP you should breeze right through the hiring process and be way way way ahead of the curve once you get to the CHP academy.

I really looked forward to going to sacramento and doing that academy. I'm putting myself through TA, radar and other traffic related schools on my own dime because I enjoy it. I also have a slim hope maybe some day the CHP will get with the times and offer a lateral program that would allow officers like me to go to a local station out of a hiring incentive.

The CHP is a great agency with a tremendous history and tradition. However, in today's California there are HUGE obstacles to going to work for them. They would really benefit from some type of lateral incentive program that would keep seasoned officers in a decent proximity to their residences.

Some will say if you truely want the job you will do what it takes etc etc....That's true, however, for me who already is in law enforcement I look at it from a big picture point of view and not a green newby point of view who is just in shock and awe of being an officer. It's about balancing family, career and quality of life.

My advice to you:

Stay the course
Keeping working hard in building your mind and body
Keep your spouse in the loop
Familiarize yourself with as many agencies you can, i.e. internet, ride alongs, other officers
Keep your nose clean

[HwyChaser]

been thinking about that very same thing myself. thought about buying a travel trailer and living in a park somewhere. but i hear that is costing like 500 a month. i just started my b.i and we just had our year anniversiy in our new home,cant afford to sell it. so i might be looking in the classifieds wherever i might be going if i get that far....

That is exactly what I did for over 2 years. My wife and kids stayed home in the Central Valley and I stayed in my trailer near L.A. coming home on my days off. Gets expensive, but it was only temporary.....

[LadyCadet]

I need your support right now. I just found out that my husband is leaving on deployment again. I'm really upset because he just got back from one. It's supose to be my turn to follow my dreams now. He is less than 6 months from retiring from the military and now he can't. I've gone through the testing for CHP and am waiting for the B.I. to call me. I know that the background investigation could take an other 6 months but I'm not sure if he'll be out by then. I want this career more than anything and know that I'll be great at it but with 3 kids at home I don't know that I can continue without him. I have my mom that could come from out of state to stay with the kids should I make it to the academy this year but I'm scared. They are used to having me with them all the time and some times I wonder if my being gone will affect them in the long run. My three year old is already pretty traumatized with her dad leaving all the time that she follows me around every where. She is afraid of being left alone. My question is, How do you deal with the guilt of leaving your children?

[23109]

I need your support right now. I just found out that my husband is leaving on deployment again. I'm really upset because he just got back from one. It's supose to be my turn to follow my dreams now. He is less than 6 months from retiring from the military and now he can't. I've gone through the testing for CHP and am waiting for the B.I. to call me. I know that the background investigation could take an other 6 months but I'm not sure if he'll be out by then. I want this career more than anything and know that I'll be great at it but with 3 kids at home I don't know that I can continue without him. I have my mom that could come from out of state to stay with the kids should I make it to the academy this year but I'm scared. They are used to having me with them all the time and some times I wonder if my being gone will affect them in the long run. My three year old is already pretty traumatized with her dad leaving all the time that she follows me around every where. She is afraid of being left alone. My question is, How do you deal with the guilt of leaving your children?

Continue with the process, you can decline an invite to the Academy and be moved to the bottom of the list for the next available class. I believe this can be done several times before you have to redo the entire process. Worst thing that could happen is you'll have to renew your psych and background, but those should go faster than the initial one.

[Gittinready]

23109 is right, you can always defer a couple of classes. Plus you being gone during the week and home on weekends is different than being gone for a deployment. Keep at it, the job is worth it more than you know.

[makakona]

aggienut, tough call. my husband and i were talking about his job the other night and how, while i don't care for our living situation right now, it's been SO worth it. he absolutely adores his job and that's made it so much easier to deal with where we're living right now. i would never personally go for living apart just to live in a better area than he works, so i can see where you're coming from in your dilemma. for us, it was an easier decision because we already had to move from out of state for him to attend the academy and i'm a stay-at-home mom, so we had a lot fewer factors than you do. good luck with whatever you decide!

ladycadet, i'd go with what 23109 said and just defer, if need be. gittinready, do you have any kids? it would be awesome to get an officer/mom's perspective on this, but i'm at least a mom who's been in the vicinity of where you are, ladycadet. :smile:

i wouldn't go to the academy with my husband deployed, but that's me. ESPECIALLY with a three-year-old who is already having problems with separations (been there, done that, unfortunately!). if you can defer, i think that's a great option till dad comes home and life can normalize somewhat before mom leaves. being a mom is full of enough guilt-ridden situations as it is and i'm not sure this is one where the trade-off is worth it, given the other possible options.

and bummer on your husband deploying again. it seems like all bets are off nowadays. :sad: what's his rate?

[LadyCadet]

He is an SKC. We used to think that the Navy was the best because they don't fight on land just go out to sea. That has now changed. The military is so low in members with nobody joining up that they are pulling people from the Navy and sending them to fight on land. If he goes to shore duty he will have to go to Iraq for one of his three years. Also once they go out on deployment they don't leave on another one for about 18 months. Him leaving so soon after just getting back was a huge surprise, and not the good kind.....

[Tom]

He is an SKC. We used to think that the Navy was the best because they don't fight on land just go out to sea. That has now changed. The military is so low in members with nobody joining up that they are pulling people from the Navy and sending them to fight on land. If he goes to shore duty he will have to go to Iraq for one of his three years. Also once they go out on deployment they don't leave on another one for about 18 months. Him leaving so soon after just getting back was a huge surprise, and not the good kind.....

Well if the Navy is the same as it was when I was in..................they don't care and its unfortunate. Being a storekeeper Chief though he MUST have some time in and, I'm guessing, is nearing retirement time. I can relate to being "haze grey and underway" I spent the last 4 years of my career constantly underway. (making westpacs for boats that couldn't was a common theme) Anyway I'm sure it will all work out fine, hang in there and go with your heart.