I'm sympathetic to the clerk's plight, but I don't think we should be making exceptions at this stage. People agreed to rent, perhaps they had no other choice,

I'm sympathetic to the clerk's plight, but I don't think we should be making exceptions at this stage. People agreed to rent, perhaps they had no other choice, perhaps they where forced by factors outside their control. But those things happen. When I was younger I had a dear friend move away because his parents got a better paying job somewhere else. It's the same sentiment, he had his roots there and still had to move (if for other reasons than not being able to pay rent). The short of the story is that when entering into a contract you should switch to a mercenary mode, and get the best deal you could possibly make. Don't lay down roots if you don't own your house. Buy don't rent, etc. ps, does anyone know the(an) average commute time for someone who is not able to afford a living place next to their employer in these areas?