Being a ‘bedroom community’ comes at a cost for those south of Silicon Valley

For Trey Dremel, much of life is dictated by his commute. Every weekday morning, he leaves Morgan Hill before dawn, driving at 4 a.m. to try and skip the traffic flowing north so he can make it to work on the Peninsula on time. Most nights, he is in bed by 7:30 p.m. so he can wake up again for the early drive.

While the commute and the schedule is demanding, Dremel said it’s his best option to make ends meet, “beat traffic,” and “have some kind of life.”

Dremel — who helps prepare...