Now in its third year, HomeShare Woodstock looks toward expanding the concept into Kingston, learning from its experiences in Woodstock and the surrounding communities.
HomeShare Woodstock is a pioneer. While the concept of sharing homes has been around since the 1970s, it has not gained as much traction in the United States as in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe. HomeShare Woodstock is one of only two programs listed by the National Shared Housing Resource Center. The other is New York Foundation for Senior Citizens in New York City.
The program is not for everyone.
When launched in Woodstock, it was part of a multi-pronged local approach which also included rezoning to encourage more development of affordable housing and a look at making town-owned lands shovel-ready for housing.
Earning a lower rent
Getting used to the idea of letting a stranger live in one’s home is not easy. HomeShare Woodstock has touted an intensive vetting process beginning with an intake interview lasting an hour and a half and followed by heavily scrutinized credit, reference and background checks.
The program matches homeowners who need help with maintenance or household chores or even just companionship with those seeking an affordable place to live.
The program is seeking volunteers for its interview team, which works directly with the applicants doing the initial intake interview and stays with them throughout the application and matching process.
In exchange for services, rent is far below market rate. The landlord also benefits by having some extra income to make ends meet.
Of the ten current matches, the average rent is $625 per month, Woodstock program director Janice LaMotta said.
Each living situation is unique, she explained. “Some people share the same home. They have common areas that they share. They share meals together. Some people are in a separate cottage on the property and there’s a task exchange or maybe they’re driving the home provider to doctors’ appointments or doing some yard work or some pet care, things like that.”
Is isolation the new smoking?
The ten current matches in the Woodstock area have benefited 23 people.
“When we started the program, particularly because of the demographic in Woodstock being a lot of seniors, and part of our program was aimed at trying to keep seniors in their homes to age in place, we were seeing applications from an older age group,” LaMotta explained. The current matches range in age from 31 to 83. Three matches are between those in their thirties and those in their late seventies.
“We talk a lot about isolation is the new smoking, and I think when you’ve got particularly a generational range like that, it really helps the older home sharer in terms of improving their mental health and their attitude, and feeling certainly less isolated, but also feeling a sense of security by having somebody else in the home.”
The program matches homeowners who need help with maintenance or household chores or even just companionship with those seeking an affordable place to live.
In exchange for services, the rent is far below market rate. The landlord also benefits by having some extra income to make ends meet.
Of the ten current matches, the average rent is $625 per month, LaMotta said.
Each living situation is unique, she explained. “Some people share the same home. They have a common area that they share. They share meals together. Some people are in a separate cottage on the property and there’s a task exchange, or maybe they’re driving the home provider to doctors’ appointments or doing some yard work or some pet care. Things like that,” LaMotta said.
Relationships and testimonials
Matches are in the center of Woodstock, but also in Mount Tremper, Bearsville, Saugerties and Olivebridge — all within the ten-mile radius for the program.
“The priority is to have people who have been in these communities be able to return to them. As we know, people have had to leave because landlords have increased their rent. They’re trying to keep jobs and now they might have to drive an hour or two because they’ve had to go an hour away to find an affordable rent,” LaMotta said. “A lot of these homeshares may start out for some as having someone come into the property who could help with some things, but I think what starts to happen in many cases is they develop a relationship. Suddenly they’re sharing meals together or they might go out and do something social together. It’s not tenant-landlord in the strict sense of that relationship.”
Testimonials attest to the program’s benefits.
“I am delighted to have welcomed my new housemate into my home, as his contributions extend beyond mere assistance,” said a Wittenberg homesharer. “He has become a genuine pleasure to be around. The HomeShare program has not only facilitated a mutually beneficial living arrangement but has also enriched my life with a compatible and amiable companion.”
Costs and benefits
LaMotta said the program likes to talk in terms of the cost of creating housing units. For $65,000 to date, made up of $35,000 from the town and $30,000 from the Office for the Aging, the program has benefited 23 people.
“That’s a cost per housing unit that is way below what you would be looking at to build an affordable housing unit,” she said. “We’re not using new resources and we’re giving people places to live.”
The program is also supported by Family of Woodstock, which pays part of LaMotta’s salary, provides office space and does all of the legwork in securing background checks and matching up home seekers with home providers.
The first year of HomeShare was funded by the New York State Office for the Aging. To keep it running in the second year, the Town of Woodstock contributed $35,000 in Covid-era American Rescue Plan funds.
LaMotta approached Woodstock’s town board at its October 22 meeting to seek an additional $40,000 in ARP funds for 2025. That money will go toward LaMotta’s salary, outreach and the establishment of an emergency fund to be used to help the home provider with assistance to make properties — such as purchasing a refrigerator — ready for homesharing.
The fund could also assist the homeseeker with moving expenses and a security deposit in the event a match has to end.
Kingston outreach
A little money can go a long way.
HomeShare is now seeking a program manager for Kingston. It hopes to start accepting applications in Kingston by February, LaMotta said. Kingston is providing some of its ARP money to fund the expansion.
Once the Kingston program is up and running, LaMotta believes HomeShare will have enough traction to seek county funding.
For information about HomeShare, contact Family of Woodstock at 845-679-2485 or visit www.familyofwoodstockinc.org/home-share-woodstock.
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