‘People are complicated’

While tough to organize, home sharing can transform lives

Unlike other programs to help residents nd housing, home sharing is about people — and their living preferences are o en complex. That makes the model especially di cult to execute on, according to HomeShare Vermont Executive Director Kirby Dunn.

“[It’s] about people living together under the same roof, sharing the same kitchen and having to sort of gure out a lot of things,” Dunn said in an interview. “As human beings, that can be a very tough thing to do. We can’t do it with the people we love very well — and then you think about doing it with a stranger, person of a di erent generation, person of a di erent culture — whatever it is, it’s just complicated. People are complicated.”

But just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. HomeShare Vermont has served its region for 40 years, while newer and more modern programs have emerged like Nesterly, an online agency that helps young people nd older roommates to supplement each other’s income to a ord rent. Representatives with Nesterly could not be reached for comment.

When the stars align, home sharing has proven to be a life changing living arrangement for most who participate in northwest and central Vermont, according to Dunn. Annual surveys among HomeShare Vermont participants found that an overwhelming majority felt happier and safer with a compatible housemate. Most also said they slept better each night, Dunn said.

The key to success, according to Dunn, is an involved intermediary working to become closely acquainted with the individuals seeking to share a home so they can be placed alongside a match who they’re less likely to clash with.

It could take years for a great match to be made since several living preferences must be taken into account when trying to place a successful pair of homeseekers. Do they tolerate pets? Do they drink? Smoke? What’s their lifestyle like? Are they willing to live with the opposite sex? Answering each of those essential questions quickly narrows the pool of potential matches for those seeking a housemate.

Dunn said it’s much easier to nd matches with a large pool of candidates, which could complicate things for Hal Hunter in rural Rappahannock County where the population is fewer than 8,000 residents.

It’s also tough to nd volunteers willing to share their home with strangers. The intermediary must convince both parties in an agreement to feel a sense of safety and security throughout the process, she said.

Even if successful, home sharing arrangements are o en only temporary. “We tell people at the beginning of a match that every match is going to end because one person or the other will have di erent needs over a period of time and decide to move on,” Dunn said.

For a start-up similar to what Hunter proposed, just a few home sharing success stories — ones where each person’s needs are met for their desired amount of time — could prove invaluable for good word of mouth across the community, she said.