Whether you are relocating from across the country or just across town, these resources will help you secure housing ahead of service.
Find housing before you start service
You will be required to be living within the state of California for the first day of service to allow you to focus on building relationships with your teammates, immerse yourself in training and adjust to your new neighborhood before the school year begins.
We highly encourage our AmeriCorps members to secure housing and move prior to the first day of service to allow you to focus on building relationships with your teammates, immersing yourself in training and adjusting to your new neighborhood before the school year begins.
When to start looking
You will want to be in Sacramento by the end of July, so consider looking for leases that begin on the first of July or mid-July if possible. Many landlords require 90 days’ notice from tenants if they are going to renew, so you could find available listings as early as April. We recommend starting your search as soon as possible to give yourself some peace of mind and time for planning and budgeting long before your first day!
Deciding where to live
Popular areas to live among our AmeriCorps members are:
- Oak Park: easy access to several schools and public transportation
- South Sacramento: easy access to several schools and public transportation
- Midtown: easy access to several schools and public transportation
- East Sacramento: moderate access to several schools and public transportation
- Tahoe Park/Land Park: easy access to several schools and public transportation
Finding roommates
To keep living costs down and stretch your stipend further, we strongly encourage you to live with roommates. Finding one or two roommates will help stretch your dollar, build community, and open the door to many more affordable housing options. You will have several opportunities to connect with fellow incoming City Year Sacramento AmeriCorps members:
- City Year Sacramento confirmed corps member Teams channel
- Housing survey- we will send out a housing survey to anyone looking for roommates, so you can see who else is interested in living together and start to determine compatibility and begin to build relationships with other AmeriCorps members!
- Engagement session hosted by your Service Year Adviser for members relocating to Sacramento to service
- You will receive a housing guide via email from your Service Year Adviser
Budgeting for housing
Members find housing through online posting sites, word of mouth and sometimes on the City Year Teams platform. Postings should outline who to contact to learn more about the property, costs and lease terms. When renting an apartment, ask about the following fees as they frequently apply.
- Application Fees- around $30 per adult
- Security deposit – typically one month’s rent, returned at the end of the lease if the property’s condition is maintained
- First month’s rent – typically due upon signing of the lease agreement, some places may ask for last month’s rent but not super common
Some utilities are included in the price of rent, so be sure to ask your landlord. When viewing apartments, most landlords or current tenants will gladly tell you the average price of utilities, so don’t be afraid to ask. It is also helpful to ask what utilities the house uses, such as gas or electric heat. Some units and buildings include laundry, for free or a cost, while others are located near laundromats.
Learn more about your bi-weekly stipend and the various benefits – both during and after service.
Whether you’re new to our city or have lived in Sacramento for several years, there are always new and exciting things to experience here.
Looking for more resources and information? We’ve got you covered.
