Neighbor to Neighbor matching older homeowners with affordable-housing seekers

Jacy Marmaduke, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·2 min read

Neighbor to Neighbor is relaunching its HomeShare program, which matches older homeowners with people who are looking for affordable housing.

The housing assistance nonprofit developed the program with Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities in 2018, but it had been on hold since May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the program is relaunching with funding from the NextFifty Initiative, it's seeking applications from home providers and home seekers in Larimer County.

“It’s time we embrace new ways of looking at housing, because the traditional model is no longer working for our community, and especially for our older residents,” Neighbor to Neighbor Executive Director Kelly Evans said in a news release. “Programs like HomeShare create a valuable and innovative housing opportunity that has the power to both support older homeowners while increasing our inventory of affordable housing.”

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The program connects people who are open to a less traditional lease with homeowners age 55 and up who have extra space and need additional income for rent or household assistance. Neighbor to Neighbor screens all applicants through a background check and personal interview, then offers matches based on applicants' needs. The homeowner and home-seeker then meet, and if they agree to a match, Neighbor to Neighbor helps them create a living agreement.

Potential agreements could involve a homeowner with an extra room or two and a home seeker willing to help with cooking, cleaning, shopping or maintenance in exchange for reduced rent. In some situations, home seekers pay no rent at all in exchange for household help.

Sahar Radwan, right, and Sheila Hillhouse outside Hillhouse's Huntington Hills home in south Fort Collins. Radwan rented Hillhouse's walkout basement apartment for 3 1/2 months through Neighbor to Neighbor's Homeshare program.
Sahar Radwan, right, and Sheila Hillhouse outside Hillhouse's Huntington Hills home in south Fort Collins. Radwan rented Hillhouse's walkout basement apartment for 3 1/2 months through Neighbor to Neighbor's Homeshare program.

Every agreement is unique, and Neighbor to Neighbor provides support for budgeting, identity fraud prevention and mediation services if needed. The program made 11 successful matches between 2018 and the program pause in spring 2020, and Neighbor to Neighbor expects an increase in matches going forward because the nonprofit has increased staffing for the program.

Homeowners should be at least 55 years old and live in Larimer County. Home seekers can be adults of any age who live, work or attend school in Larimer County. All applicants should have no history of abuse of any kind, no substance abuse or alcohol use disorder, no convictions involving crimes against people or property, and provide three references.

More information about the program and application process is posted at n2n.org/homeshare. You can also call 970-372-2005 or email n2nhomeshare@n2n.org for more information.

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Jacy Marmaduke covers government accountability for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter @jacymarmaduke. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Neighbor to Neighbor relaunches HomeShare affordability program