House of Hope Invites Local Homeowners to “Home Share”
Stuart, Fl - If you’re a homeowner with a spare bedroom and bath and would enjoy having someone share your home, you could play an important part in responding to the community’s affordable housing crisis.
House of Hope's new HOME Share Program matches home providers who want to rent their spare bedroom and share spaces like the kitchen and living room with home seekers who are looking for affordable housing options. House of Hope is now actively seeking home providers who see the advantage of home sharing and want to know more.
“We’re aware that Martin County, along with most counties in most states, is facing a serious housing crisis. That is especially a problem for fixed income and low wage earners,” explained House of Hope CEO Rob Ranieri. “Our HOME initiative – Housing Opportunities Made for Everyone - looks at the problem from a wider, more comprehensive angle than other affordable housing efforts, an approach that is more grassroots and more immediate than building new housing.”
Home sharing is an easy concept to understand. Most people have shared living spaces with someone during their lives, whether with siblings or extended family members under the same roof. The HOME Sharing program expands this idea to include individuals who are not related.
“We’ve studied the concept of home sharing, gathered resources from the Shared Housing Institute, and concluded that it’s a tremendous benefit to individual homeowners,” Ranieri said.
One significant advantage is financial. For people who are concerned about meeting their monthly housing costs, home sharing can bring in extra income. For individuals living alone, home sharing means companionship. For older homeowners concerned about being able to continue living independently in their own homes, the program brings both income to meet rising expenses and the safety that comes with having someone else in the home.
There is a rigorous process in place to minimize risk to the homeowner and set up both the homeowner and renter for success. To earn a place on the list of prospective home seekers, individuals must go through background checks and credit checks, and have their finances reviewed by House of Hope’s Housing Coordinator or a member of House of Hope’s Case Management team. They will also be evaluated for compatibility with the homeowners.
In addition to the HOME Share Program, House of Hope provides direct financial assistance to help people stay in their homes, partners with local shelters by providing healthy food for their residents, and works with local landlords in finding housing to meet a client’s budget.
“The HOME Share Program provides us with a unique and powerful tool in expanding our efforts to address the critical need for housing in our community,” Ranieri said.
Homeowners interested in becoming part of the HOME Share Program and connecting to qualified tenants are invited to email House of Hope at Housing@hohmartin.org to start the process, learn more through the website www.hohmartin.org, or call 772-286-4673.
About House of Hope
Founded in 1984, House of Hope is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers community residents to overcome hunger and hardship. House of Hope touches the lives of more than 31,000 people each month, helping with basic needs such as food, clothing, furniture, and financial assistance, case management services that help build life skills for a more self-sufficient future, and nutrition education programming that supports a foundation of healthy choices throughout the community.
The organization has service centers in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown, and Jensen Beach, with thrift stores in Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Indiantown. House of Hope’s Centers for Enrichment at Golden Gate in Stuart, in Jensen Beach, and at KinDoo Family Center in Indiantown offer free programs, technology, and workshops designed to enhance life skills, earning potential, health, and overall well-being.
House of Hope also operates the Growing Hope Farm in Palm City and several nutrition gardens that provide sustainable sources of fresh produce for clients as well as nutrition education and vocational opportunities to the community. For more information, visit hohmartin.org or call 772-286-4673. Updates and announcements can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and X.