Prepare to Relocate

Relocation Guidelines

Travel Expenses

These regulations cover the reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by the new or relocating employee and the employee's dependents, and the shipment of their household goods and personal effects.

Housing

housing Los Alamos lies on five mesa tops, which means that land is limited and housing is expensive. For temporary housing, there are a number of apartment complexes around town. They range from studios to one, two, and three bedroom apartments. Housing can be difficult to find and can be expensive. Due to an influx of students in the summer months, it is even more difficult to find housing in late spring and early summer. If you will be arriving in Los Alamos still needing to look for housing, you may need short-term accommodations. Your mentor or group office should be able to assist you with short-term accommodation. For more permanent housing, please contact the real estate agents in Los Alamos. Many people also rent rooms, which is typically less expensive than renting your own apartment.

Housing links

Visit the Virtual Los Alamos web site for a listing of what is current available and who to call for just about any housing needs. For more housing information in or out of Los Alamos, you can check the regional newspapers for housing listings:

The Los Alamos Association of Realtors offers many contacts in the Los Alamos housing area. The LANL Housing office provides economical housing assistance for short term Laboratory Staff, Students, and Affiliates, and is also available to answer questions about leases and other contractural questions.

Los Alamos Utilities and Telephone Service

When you first arrive at your apartment or house, there may not be any electricity or gas. Talk to your landlord to see if they can turn on the utilities the day you arrive. If your landlord cannot help with utilities, you will need to call the Los Alamos Utilities Department at 505.662.8333. If you would like more than the local 6 channels on television, you can get cable or satellite services. Some apartment complexes provide basic cable with the apartments. You can also get DSL and cable modem services in some areas of Los Alamos and surrounding areas.

Your telephone line might not be connected either. You will need to call 1.800.244.111 to get a line set up. All local calls are charged on a flat monthly fee. You will need to sign up for a long-distance carrier, or you can use the pre-paid phone cards that you can buy at many of the gas stations, grocery stores, Wal-mart, Sam's Club (in Santa Fe), or other stores.

LANL: Life at Los Alamos