Home Share Now

About Home Share Now

Home Share Now facilitates home shares in central Vermont for home providers and home seekers to expand the possibilities for living. For example, 86 year old Carolyn opens the spare bedroom in her home to 49 year old Sara who is having trouble paying off her credit card debt. In exchange for housing, Sara provides Carolyn with an overnight protective presence, shared meals, companionship, and $100/month towards utilities.

Home Share Now works in central Vermont (Washington, Orange, and Lamoille counties andsome adjacent towns in Caledonia, Orleans, and Windsor counties). Home Share Now provides compassionate, professional attention by way of shared housing best practices which include extensive in-person interviews, home visits, background checks and personal references, introductions, personalized agreements, follow up support, and mediation services. All participants that successfully complete a background screening are eligible for Home Share Now s services. The work of Home Share Now resulted in the following in FY15: -Home sharing provided ~6,500 hours of assistance, enabling seniors and others to stay home representing a potential savings of $75,000 for home providers and their families over the cost of hiring service providers. -Seniors likely saved ~$228,993 in nursing home diversion thanks to home sharing. -The average rent of a home sharing match was ~$340 which saved home seekers ~$81,780 in rental expenses with 35% of all home seekers providing services and paying $0 in rent. -While new affordable housing infrastructure is important in meeting housing needs, the 61 units created by home sharing by utilizing existing housing stock would cost at least $11,895,000 to build as new construction. -Improved quality of life for home providers by having a home share: feeling safer (78%), less lonely (74%), sleeping better (47%), and feeling happier (76%). The value of improved quality of life is priceless. Note, Home Share Now does not hire caregivers and home sharers do not provide personal care. Home sharers are not paid employees but rather provide services in exchange for housing. Services generally do not exceed 10 hours/week.… Read more