Pet owners face challenges in finding affordable rentals
Bellingham is a college town, so Lindsay O’ Neal thought finding a place to live would be easy. However, four months after beginning her search, with her school start date looming , O’Neal is getting worried. The crux of her problem: she has pets. O’Neal, 35, has been looking for an apartment under $900 a month since April. She plans to study marine biology at Western Washington University in September, and like some students, she’s bringing her two cats with her to help with anxiety and stress. She’s now considering commuting 30 minutes to an hour each day from Blaine so she can still attend school in the fall. “I’ve never had this issue before. Usually I find a place and then get the place, but it’s been a nightmare. I don’t know what it is,” O’Neal said. “I can’t believe how difficult the whole thing has been. … People are looking for perfect tenants and that’s not realistic. You have to have a lot of money and no pets, it’s ridiculous.” O’Neal isn’t alone in feeling the pressure...