I moved from California to Texas and had to take a train to visit for the first time because I couldn't afford a flight. Now I own a home.

Fri, 10/06/2023 - 19:53

Side by side photos of Janelle Crossan in front of her Texas home and her son posing in front of a map. — Janelle Crossan and her son moved from Costa Mesa, California to New Braunfels, Texas in November 2020.
Courtesy of Janelle Crossan

Single mom Janelle Crossan moved from California to Texas in November 2020.
Crossan said she was struggling financially and tired of California's crime and COVID shut downs.
In Texas, Crossan can afford to own a home — something she said she never dreamed of in California.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Janelle Crossan, a 44-year-old customer service specialist who moved from Costa Mesa, California to New Braunfels, Texas in November 2020 with her now-8-year-old son.

My ex-husband left the marriage right before Covid started. I was in a bad spot. I had a toddler. I wasn't working at the time.