3x RULE(ofthumb) bending

[Frank Mooradian]

So here's something crazy. I'm homeless. I relocated from FL back to my lovely homeland of Chicago, thought I had a place through Facebook Marketplace, & got ghosted as I drove here. My credit is 695 with 100% on time payment but high utilization, & I arranged a FT job before coming. It's about 2500 a mo before tax, or like 1900 after.

I've been looking for a place for a month now, & have found that the Craigslist & FB Marketplace listings for single rooms are pretty much a joke or either outright scams. The official listings I've been looking through on Apartments around 900-1100 have all denied me from not meeting this income requirement. It seems insane to me, as my monthly recurring expenses are $375 before food, & $110 of that is Public Storage, so it's $265 once I move in.

How strict is this 3x rule (OF THUMB)? How can I possibly convey responsibility to a landlord if not through the 100% on time payment on my credit report? How can I get past this rule (OF THUMB) & hurry the end of this being homeless so I can get back to pursuing my tech career...& finally do a friggen house hack!

[Jonathan Klemm]

Hey @Frank Mooradian - Sounds like you have gotten into a tough situation, but more importantly sounds like you have the mindset and perseverance to get through it.  You will definitely find something if you keep looking Chicago has a lot to offer.  

I'd try AirBnb and Bungalow  (https://bungalow.com/rooms-for...) to see if either of them have any good longer-term rent-by-the-room options.