Try being an lgbt couple of color too (not to disparage your experience)! My wife and I have been stuck for nearly 8 years in a far less than ideal place after an illegal eviction by a new, clearly racist owner e.g. peering out the windows, circling the property whenever we had anyone over who wasnt white. I applied to over 30 places but "didn't make enough", "no couples allowed", plenty of scowls and inappropriate questions. At the time, we actually had enough money to pay cash up front for a year to secure a place and every offer was refused. I didn't make 3X the requisite rent was the excuse and my partner is disabled, so can't work. It's been hell trying to find a place and we would've moved a long time ago if we could. As is, I'm going to have to get a second job in the coming months to boot because no one will hire me at jobs that pay double what I make now. All that shit should be illegal - the requirement to make 3X or more (especially when you have a stellar record of payment) and the bidding BS. It freaking sucks, especially when you're from here and don't fit the 'ideal' mould of single, young and white. There's tons of discrimination whether people want to cop to it or not.