Somewhere you can find a job that pays a living wage. If you're on the edge of short term housing (month to month lease -> behind on utilities -> extended stay

Somewhere you can find a job that pays a living wage. If you're on the edge of short term housing (month to month lease -> behind on utilities -> extended stay hotels, to a worst case in and out of a homeless shelter) you want to live in a location where your health is less at risk from the environment, mostly the cold. And so, Southern California, especially where there are some more social safety nets is desirable