FWIW, when I couldn't find a safe place to rent in a rising market near a city, I moved to my car and drove to an area of declining population. There, I found a house that I could buy for what had been 3 year's rent. Most of my daily needs are just two blocks away. I was lucky to have an unusually good (still poor) counsellor working in town, but she is gone now, and I've given up on making friends with the current residents. More refugees may arrive, though.
For city living, I found a bicycle was excellent. I never needed a car, with all those expenses, and I had the fastest, most convenient way to get around, along with the exercise needed to stave off depression. Using it to find my home, work, and shops, I could do a very fine-grained search, and they were all within easy range. At first, you may only be able to manage a few quiet blocks, but if you make it a habit, range and traffic-comfort steadily increase until you can cross continents if necessary. A 2-month bike camping tour was a highlight of my life.
BTW, I have a friend who lived on a beach on Vashon Is, WA, accessible only by canoe or kayak, and he says it is probably still available.