Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband is headed out in June, I know that Williston has cracked down on parking in the Walmart parking lot..but whats the REAL story about living in your car this summer? We have a housing option in Minot but that is not really where the $$ is that he hopes to make. Obviously he doesn't want to live in it for long..but the only reasonable thing we found ( I spoke to a nice gal yest.) was a studio/efficiency (1400.00) it is on the same lot with the RV's they manage those you can bring with and pay $795.00 a month. plus some utilities. Are their any camp ground areas where he could use a tent? In Montana even?
thanks or any help
As hard as those guys are working they don't need the additional stress & hardship of living in a car.
My opinion is you're better off working somewhere you can afford to live in a dwelling, because the boom has been going on long enough now the machinery is in place against the Mad Max kinda thing.
Here's a repost from last September when I visited Williston:
Quote:
Originally Posted by notoriouskelly
I just spent 2 days in Williston as a boomtown tourist - eye opener.
The locals in stores & restaurants were all nice: you know they've been thru a lot so it'a good to see that ND hospitality shining thru.
"...The summer comes and there's always national news reports about how there are a million jobs in Williston, so people come with no plan, no car and no home. When you don't have a car, a place to live and a job it's very easy for people to make poor choices."
Katie Berwick, clerk of the municipal court Williston Sept 2013
No camping in Walmart, on streets etc - read the regs yourself at
Chapter 5.5 CAMPERS AND RV VEHICLES
ARTICLE I. USE AS RESIDENCE WITHIN CITY PROHIBITED
Williston has been booming for long enough to enact laws and patrols to enforce those laws. The people are quite hospitable but have been enduring the downsides of the boom long enough now so don't expect much sympathy if you get stranded; their role is not to pick up the pieces of your broken dreams.
If you have extensive oil field or trucking experience with good CDL I believe you have a fair chance here but you still need to be smart about it to make money.
Come here with a bankroll and hotel reservation at minimum; best to have done your initial applications submitted weeks or months ago to companies and gauge their interest in you.
I suggest not accepting employment up here without guaranteed housing in writing, or a dollar figure on housing assistance if they even do that. I'm not an oilman so do your own homework - when you arrive there will be ONE person who cares about your life.
Talk to others in your field who are here or have been recently for advice.
The motels, restaurants and stores are profiting well but only you can determine if you will profit at all; I guarantee you many folks have gone broke, gotten in trouble and left or gone to jail at least in part due to unrealistic ideas of what the situation is here.
Going in to fast food restaurants and stores I encountered some of the most ghetto azz folks in my life; most or all from elsewhere. Maybe that's why drive thrus are so backed up.
SO- $20+ an hour may sound great but if you're spending all of it on housing, food and supplies while beating yourself into the ground- you may hate yourself for coming to North Dakota.
It
s $100+ a nite for a cheap hotel if you have a reservation- if you just drive up you might get a room for $200+ a nite. Some rooms free up for weekend as workers go home etc so you could get your foot in the door then but better book it for awhile. I'd try to make checkout on a Fri or Sat so if plans change you have a better chance at extending your room.
Fancy apartments are looking for companies to pay for blocks of rooms for 1 or more years; shared houses are $1100 per bedroom and up - for anything cheaper plan on an hour or more commute each way on ice with loads of trucks and people from all over USA who may never have driven in snow.
RV parks $850+ anywhere close- lower for longer commutes.
A fallback would be motels further out in East Montana - a bit far for regular commuting but could do in a pinch.
Here's Walmart outta work socks- (photo) Nice lady stocking said they go as soon as they get em.
You might think there's a lucrative way to make money; bring up cases of socks and sell em on the corner. Well, Williston has ordnances about Solicitors and Transient Merchants (although link isn't working right now).
Try to eat healthy - working your butt off while having McDs. Hardees, KFC daily might clog your jets- work in some sub sandwiches, canned and fresh fruit, beef jerky etc. Drink lots of spring water. (Who knows what that fracking is doing
Additional notes:
Streets & parking lots strongly patrolled, Walmart no camping, Kudos to City of Williston for writing their code in understandable language- here is PART ofthe ordnance:
Chapter 5.5 CAMPERS AND RV VEHICLES
ARTICLE I. USE AS RESIDENCE WITHIN CITY PROHIBITED
Sec. 5.5-3. Violations. (1) The use of any camper vehicle or other form of non-permanent structure for human habitation purposes within R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-6, R-7, M-1, M-2, M-3, C-1, C-2, and C-3 zoned areas, with the exception of those in construction sites described herein, in violation of this article shall result in the issuance by the City of Williston of a warning directed to the owner of the camper vehicle or other nonpermanent structure used for human habitation purposes, if ascertainable, or, if the owner cannot be identified, to the owner of the parcel of real estate upon which it is situated, informing that person or persons of the need to cease and desist from making use of the camper vehicle or other nonpermanent structure used for human habitation purposes...
It goes on to list restrictions of RV parking on private party etc.
thanks...I read this post before..the thing is..the housing is way to high..so it isn't going to work out for a lot of folks. I think they are going to have a lot of jobs (construction) which is what my hubz does that are not filled. We are hoping he can secure a job with housing..but it seems doubtful...maybe we need to look in Texas instead!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
