Making a Difference : One organization’s approach: Share homes for savings, companionship
Demand for low-cost senior-citizen housing in high-rent Orange County is so great that the current waiting list for county rental assistance to the elderly is 5 to 10 years; no new names are currently being accepted for the waiting list and no new federally funded apartment projects have been planned in the county for low-income seniors. South County Senior Services responded to the demand in 1985 by developing a shared housing program to match senior home seekers in need of affordable housing with senior home providers who benefit from the housemate’s rent. The program has matched 1,454 individual home seekers and providers over the past eight years.
BOTTOM LINE
Median gross rent, Orange County: $790 Median gross rent, Los Angeles County: $626 Average South County Senior Shared Housing rent: $450 Age range of participants: 18 to 104 years* Average age of participants: 50-70 years * Homesharers are typically senior citizens, but the program is open to people of all ages.
Eighteen current participants have been able to avoid living in settings like group homes because of care and support provided by their homesharing partner as a part of the match agreement. Savings in these cases--whether the cost is borne by seniors, their families or taxpayers--is at least $2,300 a month, the minimum cost of private care in southern Orange County.
Source: South County Senior Services
BENEFITS
“(Shared housing makes) use of housing that’s already there. It benefits the person who needed housing, the person who had the space and was alone and may need help with expenses, and it benefits the community as whole because the housing stock is used more efficiently.”
Linda Nelson Section Chief, Special Housing Programs Manager Orange County Housing Authority
ONE HOUSEHOLD’S EXPERIENCE
JEANNE MEHREN Home provider
My younger sister found this apartment. She and I came here in 1990.
It’s a beautiful apartment, close to the ocean, and the rent is very reasonable considering the location.
My sister had a heart attack and died shortly after we moved in. I was thinking for a while that I might share someone else’s house, and I even visited a few places. In the meantime, Rose came along and was looking for a place, and that was just perfect.
Rose and I have been together just a year now. We like so many of the same things. It works very well for us.
ROSE NICKETTA Home seeker
There’s safety knowing that there’s more than one person in a home, and there’s nothing like knowing that there’s someone in the house, knowing that someone is coming home or going out--that there’s activity going on. I think, especially with seniors, one of the biggest downfalls is the inactivity. I think shared housing gives a little dignity.
Homesharing can work with a man sharing with a woman, and I don’t mean with any hanky-panky, just a nice gentleman and a nice lady brought together. A friend of mine is sharing a home with a man and that works out real well.
People, especially seniors, should investigate shared housing. A lot of people may say, “I don’t want anybody else in my home; I like my privacy.” Well, the other person wants their privacy, too. There’s a way to give on both sides.
SHARED HOUSING PROCESS:
1. HOME PROVIDERS People with housing to share and people with a need for housing may find out about the program from referrals, postings at libraries and senior centers or word of mouth. After the initial contact, shared housing coordinators visit all potential providers in their homes, to inventory each home’s general security features and physical barriers like stairs or steeply graded driveways and interview providers about their roommate preferences.
2. HOME SEEKERS All home seekers meet with staff to discuss their housing needs, finances and geographical, environmental and housemate preferences.
3. THE MATCH Home providers and seekers may meet at one of three mixers held monthly at sites around south Orange County or through referrals made by Shared Housing Coordinators. Participants are encouraged to live together for a trial period of at least one week before making a final decision about a match.
4. FOLLOW-UP Housing coordinators call matched participants monthly and make home visits as needed to monitor compatibility.
SOME TOPICS HOMESHARERS DISCUSS BEFORE SIGNING AGREEMENT * visitor frequency and scheduling * time needed alone * method of dealing with conflict or disagreements * religious affiliations and club memberships * division of expenses, household chores, yard work * eating and sleeping habits * hobbies * television viewing and music listening preferences
TO GET INVOLVED Call 714-498-0400 for information about South County Senior Services shared housing program.
