Since 1984, HomeSharing’s mission has been to create affordable housing solutions by matching “Providers”- people who need to share their homes or apartments in order to maintain them, with “Seekers”- individuals searching for affordable housing in the community. We are the only agency in New Jersey using the shared housing model to serve the working poor whose incomes are at or below the poverty level and who are not eligible for other social services. HomeSharing also assists its clients in locating and utilizing other resources such as the Food Bank, low-cost medical care, and other supports.
HomeSharing has served Somerset and Hunterdon counties for 35 years; began services in Middlesex, Morris and Union Counties in 2011; and in parts of Essex and Passaic Counties in 2015.
HomeSharing benefits both the clients (young adults, older adults, people with disabilities, single parents, working professionals, and low-income persons) and the community. Providers benefit by being able to stay in their homes without leaving the community, utilizing public assistance, or, in the case of older adults, being institutionalized. Seekers benefit finding below market-rate rents in which they can live better on their income. All clients are better able to live on their current incomes when participating in a shared affordable housing relationship. This helps provide increased income for food, medications, and clothing or allows the Providers to arrange for an exchange of service such as meal preparation, errands, or house cleaning in lieu of paying rent to the Provider. The local community and government benefit by employees living near their work locations; paying taxes in the local county; by home owners’ continued payment of property taxes; and by a reduction in the need for construction of costly housing units.
We have nearly 1,800 matches! In 2018 alone we: Served 3,634 New Jersey clients; Created/maintained 142 shared housing matches (representing 284 families and 360 individuals); and Provided 86,044 nights of shelter.
We are cost effective. While the state spends between $30,000 and $50,000 on each homeless person, the cost of HomeSharing is only $100 per person. More importantly, the people we help get to live in a real home.