Johnny

Johnny, 31, grew up in San Jose, Calif., which is known by many to be an affluent community that’s filled with Silicon Valley executives.

This wasn’t the case for him, though. Johnny’s parents were refugees, and he grew up in public housing.

“I come from a tough background, with a lot of struggles from my past,” said Johnny. “But I always try to remain positive, and I know that I’m still blessed in a lot of ways.”

After spending $1,300 per month living in a garage around the San Jose area and then living out of his car for four months, Johnny decided it was time to try something new and “start fresh.”  An aspiring DJ and barber, he wanted to move to a large city that would allow him more opportunities to network and ladder his way up.

He moved to Vegas because of its thriving entertainment scene, and he was lucky enough to see a PadSplit ad on Facebook. He knew he needed a stable long-term living environment, and he didn’t mind sharing a house, especially since he knew he’d be busy pounding the pavement to make things happen for his career. Plus, the price was far better than anything else out there.

Quiet and comfortable housing

One month in, Johnny says PadSplit co-living is the “perfect fit” for what he needs in his life right now.

He notes that the house is quiet, clean and comfortable and that he enjoys sitting on the back patio the few moments he has time. He also makes use of the kitchen and laundry room, which are huge improvements from his past living situations. And, he notes their property manager even sent them a second refrigerator recently to provide even more space for him and his PadMates’ groceries.

Even though Johnny loves his home, the truth is that he’s not there much. He’s currently apprenticing at a nearby barber shop, where he cleans, learns and networks to be able to soon build up his own clientele and eventually, he hopes, to one day start his own business.

When he’s not at the shop, he’s also networking to try to land some DJ gigs. In the “city that never sleeps,” Johnny makes every hour count now that he has stable housing to come home to and an all inclusive weekly fee that’s easier to budget for. In fact, with his car currently needing some repairs, Johnny is now also renting a car to pick up food delivery shifts, which also happens to be another great way to network.

Serving as home base

Johnny has met his PadMates and says they are all courteous and quiet. He’s planning to stay at his current home for as long as possible because it currently serves as his home base for when he needs to sleep and shower. 

Beyond that, he notes, PadSplit is helping him to save up to achieve his dreams.

“Right now, everything is working out really well. I know that if I can work hard, I can develop and grow. I’m here to entertain and serve, and there’s no better place for that than Las Vegas.”