S. BURLINGTON – HomeShare Vermont had two matches this year in the Northeast Kingdom (NEK), one in Danville and one in Hardwick, where hosts offered to share their home with guests needing affordable housing.
HomeShare has expanded into the three NEK counties of Caledonia, Orleans and Essex.
Through additional funding from the State’s Department of Aging and Independent Living and a partnership with the NEK Council on Aging, two of the Council’s case managers are also handling homesharing duties. They were just trained in early October and there are a dozen active host applicants. What we need right now in the Kingdom are people looking for affordable housing.
The opportunity to serve all of the NEK is something the organization has looked forward to, because of the many housing concerns from people throughout the area in the past few years. Now, HomeShare Vermont can create homeshare matches in an area that is so ready for this service.
Last week, HomeShare Vermont made a presentation at the Gilman Senior Center hosted by the Lunenburg Planning Commission. Lunch was sponsored by the Lunenberg-Gilman Community Trust. Twenty people watched a video and listened to a presentation about homesharing.
As background, hosts can ask for rent and/or help in exchange for providing room in their home to a guest. Currently, the average rent guests are paying is $379 and they’re providing an average of 8.5 hours of help each week. Matches tend to last between one and five years and average just under two. One match currently that has lasted for 19 years and another for 20 years.
HomeShare Vermont is holding an open house Thursday, Jan. 15, 1 to 3 p.m., with the support of Efficiency Vermont, This is an opportunity to meet staff members, learn about the process and what the next steps are to becoming a homeshare host or guest. For more information call (802) 863-5625 or visit the HomeShare website at homesharevermont.org.
Ric Cengari is the HomeShare Vermont outreach and communications specialist.
