Incentives up to $500 to share homes, free consultation, lower housing costs
DUMMERSTON - Incentives up to $500 are available to Windham and Windsor counties homeowners to encourage them to open their homes to housemates.
Sharing Housing Inc. announced the November 2022 launch of the pilot program SHIFT - Shared Housing Incentives for Taking Action. With housing in such a crisis in the community, the SHIFT program addresses one aspect of a complex problem.
Almost one-third of all households in Windham and Windsor counties are spending more than 30% of their income on housing. At the same time, in Brattleboro alone, there is a pressing need for housing for those with incomes under $50,000.
Shared housing uses existing infrastructure of current unoccupied bedrooms in single-family homes. Shared housing is mutually beneficial to homeowners and housemates. It lowers housing costs, offers companionship, and provides mutual support. When done right, shared housing is a win-win for everyone.
In the SHIFT program, participating homeowners will learn how to do it right by learning how to select compatible housemates and by receiving a free consultation on how to adapt their home to make it more comfortable for sharing. They can be reimbursed up to $500 toward the cost of those changes after they have made the changes, found a housemate, and signed an agreement.
SHIFT is partially funded by Senior Solutions, the local Council on Aging, through the federal ARPA program. For more information call (802) 387-0487 or visit https://sharinghousing.com/shift. Sharing Housing Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on education and advocacy for shared housing since 2017.