Next Wednesday, July 30, the Thompson Senior Center will host an open house for HomeShare Vermont, a program that pairs Vermonters with an extra room in their home or on their property with individuals in need of affordable housing. Providing people with a viable aging-in-place option and a solution to the statewide housing shortage, HomeShare Vermont could be a fit for individuals across all walks of life.
But what exactly is home-sharing? Some hear the term and think of horror stories with strange roommates found on Craigslist or the beginning of a Stephen King novel, but the HomeShare Vermont approach includes multiple background checks for guest and host alike, numerous face-to-face interviews, and a trial period.
Connor Timmons, executive director for HomeShare Vermont, spoke to the Standard about the application and housing process, as well as the number of lives changed through this program. He said, “Creating a simple solution to the housing and aging crisis was our main goal, and I believe we achieved that here at HomeShare. Basically, we are a screening and matching program that pairs folks who have an extra room in their home with folks who are looking for an affordable place to live. That’s it. What is unique about the program is that it is a very affordable way to live, both for the hosts and the guests. A host will provide below-market rent in exchange for support around the house if needed. The guest will end up paying a monthly rent fee between $0-650, based on which services they agree to complete around the home. Some hosts need help cooking or can no longer drive. If a guest is amenable, they can take on the responsibility of these household tasks in exchange for a place to live with lower rent.”
Timmons continued, “There is a great deal of mutual benefit with this program. It’s also worth noting that we do not have any age limitations. While a majority of our hosts are older Vermonters, those wishing to participate simply have to be old enough for us to run a background check. On the host side, HomeShare is a way of staying in your home through safe and affordable means. Some are not interested in making the transition to assisted living, others may be on a two-to-five-year waiting list before they can move into a care facility. Instead of being all alone in a rural farmhouse, with vacant rooms collecting dust, we have found that hosts are interested in staying in their homes, staying financially secure, and having someone with them to talk with, to live with, so they are not left completely alone. It is the socialization piece that is so important; that is part of the reason HomeShare works so well.”
HomeShare Vermont has been operating for 42 years. Last year, they oversaw almost 700 applications across eight counties, with a recent expansion to the Northeast Kingdom. According to the Vermont Housing Needs Assessment 2025-2029, the state would need to build between 24,000 and 36,000 new housing units over the next five years to keep up with the housing demand and help rectify the housing shortage crisis. Since this is unlikely to occur, HomeShare offers another way of dealing with this demand.
HomeShare guest Kelly McNabb says this was the best solution to her housing problem. She told the Standard, “I wanted to move back to Vermont a few years ago, so I started to look at apartments in the Burlington area and found that every option was ridiculously expensive. Then, I came across HomeShare Vermont. I was a little nervous at first. Having worked as a private chef living in people’s homes and carriage houses, I know how difficult and challenging some living situations can be. After meeting with five different families through HomeShare, however, one clicked. Her name was Kathy — an elderly woman who needed someone to cook for her a few nights a week. She had a separate apartment for me to stay in, and a couple nights a week, she would come down for dinner. More than anything, I think she wanted the company. And in return, I lived in a beautiful space, saved money towards my retirement fund, and became friends with the most extraordinary woman. Now, I am on my second HomeShare lease in Wilder. This time, there are no chores or duties needed by my host, only an affordable rent and the knowledge that someone is on her property, should an issue arise.”
The HomeShare Vermont Open House will take place on Wednesday, July 30, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Thompson Senior Center. HomeShare staff and current HomeShare participants will be present to answer questions and discuss their personal experiences. More information can be found at homesharevermont.org.
For more on this, please see our July 24 edition of the Vermont Standard.
