Photo Courtesy: Cheeky Monkey Tiny House
Creating Housing Solutions By Connecting People And Homes
Smart Share Housing Solutions is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation in San Luis Obispo, California that develops innovative housing solutions that add to the stock of attainable, sustainable housing. SmartShare Housing Solutions is a member of the National Shared Housing Resource Center and currently operates five programs.
HomeShare SLO
HomeShare SLO is a facilitated housemate-matching program serving mostly lower-income seniors. The nonprofit facilitates matches between home providers–people with an extra room–and home seekers–those looking for a home. It helps provide affordable housing with existing resources, allows for aging-in-place, builds community, and empowers community members. Since launching in 2017, the program has facilitated 63 matches between clients, providing housing, income, and security for 120 clients.
Tiny House Consulting
Tiny House Consulting is helping the community understand and implement the new rules allowing tiny homes on wheels in shared backyards. New ordinances allowing THOW’s in qualifying backyards in the City of SLO offer exciting opportunities for affordable homeownership and rentals of tiny homes in underutilized backyard spaces. A nonprofit third-party can help agencies and applicants navigate the new territory and establish best practices.
Co-Living Collaborative
Co-Living Collaborative seeks to explore ownership opportunities to provide deed-restricted affordable, sustainability-focused, community-centered housing. aims to expand housing options through the development of affordable, eco-minded shared living created by converting existing commercial spaces such as older motels and bed and breakfast inns to co-living centers with a mix of shared and private spaces. The program has been evaluating potential projects since 2017. In addition to creating needed housing for lower-income renters in SLO County, the goal is to create a model for such conversions that can be replicated in other communities.
Reduced Rent Task Exchange
HomeShare SLO program offers a way to get reduced rent in exchange for household help.
Participants of the fledgling Reduced Rent Task Exchange Homeshare program complete eight hours of work per week to pay $400 to $500 per month in rent, or a maximum of 15 hours of work per week to pay $150 per month in rent, with that amount designed to cover utility costs. The Reduced Rent Task Exchange program eliminates renter application fees, credit scores, and income minimums for housing seekers.
Safer Share
Safer Share is a program to help homeowners add separate living space to their homes, for rental income without sharing common space.
Connections Are Vetted
Smart Share Housing Solutions conducts background checks and matches to vet safety and roommate compatibility for homeowners.
HomeShares Available Now
COVID-19 Update: We are now making introductions between potential housemates while taking steps to reduce risk. If you are a current client and wish to proceed with finding your housemate, please call us. New client? We look forward to talking to you about joining our program. (805)-215-5474
How It Works
Home Providers--Step by Step
Home Seekers--Step by Step
Call to schedule a home visit, 805-215-5474.
Fill out application (we can help).
We conduct background screening and check your personal references.
Be patient while we find you compatible matches.
You conduct phone interview with selected home seekers (pre-screened and qualified). We help by providing interview questions.
Meet your potential match in person. (We suggest a neutral location, such as a coffee shop.) Again, we send you a list of questions covering the main areas of concern.
As the home provider, YOU are in control.
If all goes well, we strongly suggest a trial match of a few days (14 days for Task Exchange homeshares), with the home seeker bringing just a suitcase and any pets who will be part of the household.
You select the seeker to share your home with.
Get it in writing with a Living Together Agreement. Our template covers all the bases, from rent amount, to utilities, to parking and more. We’ve added space for your COVID precautions so you’re both on the same page and agree on cleanliness, masks, visitors and outside exposure. Tasks and schedule of hours included for Reduced Rent homeshares.
Your match fee is based on your income ($500 max).
Monitoring. HomeShareSLO staff will check in regularly to make sure all goes well, assisting with mediation if necessary.
Exit strategy. The average home share match lasts 1-4 years. Make it a smooth transition by planning in advance with exit strategy guidelines as part of your written agreement.
- Check the Do I Qualify? page to see if you meet minimum qualifications.
- Call us and we’ll pre-qualify you over the phone and set up an application/interview meeting with our staff out of doors, with masks and social distancing.
- Bring your completed application, valid photo I.D., 2-3 months of bank statements, and 3-4 references.
- No screening fee or application fee (donated by our funders)
- We conduct background screening and call your references.
- We give your contact info to suitable home providers. They call you for the first conversation.
- First meet them in person at a neutral outdoor location like a coffee shop or park. We supply helpful lists of questions to discuss.
- If your phone and in-person conversations go well, they’ll invite you to see the space and meet outside their home.
- If you agree on the main terms and everything looks positive, they may invite you to conduct a Trial Match, where you stay for a few days with just a suitcase to test the match. (Trial matches for Reduced Rent Task Exchange homeshares are 2 weeks.)
- Sign the Living Together Agreement and start home sharing! At this signing meeting, you will pay your first month’s rent, and your deposit will be due, usually an additional month’s rent.
- Note: please factor the cost of shared utilities into your housing budget. These can range from $50-150 per month, depending on size of shared spaces, seasonal variations and amenities.
- Feel free to contact us with questions–we’re here to help and dedicated to your successful home share experience.
Model For The Rest Of The Country
Smart Share Housing Solutions is a model that can be duplicated in every city across the country.
Contact Smart Share Housing Solutions if you have a backyard available for a tiny home, need a home or are offering a space for rent.
Photo Courtesy Cheeky Monkey Tiny House
Cheeky Monkey Tiny House is located in Thousand Palms, California and builds affordable, RV certified tiny homes on wheels. They ship nationwide.
Tiny House Alliance USA Editor
The Future Of Tiny Is Now!
Janet Thome Founder And President
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