An emerging HomeShare Registry Program built to connect housemates on the Islands of Galiano, Mayne, Pender, Salt Spring and Saturna. Housing NOW focuses on a gentle density approach to creating a workforce housing supply, while fostering intergenerational relationships in our Island communities.
Although the Housing NOW Homeshare Registry is primarily an online delivery, we offer in person guidance via our Housing Registry Coordinator, who is available to supply information and resources for Registry participants through all stages of the program. We have the Get Verified! component which is a series of character/employer/landlord references conducted to ensure a level of security to individual homesharers. We have also created the Housing NOW Homeshare Registry Toolkit, a collection of self resource tools to enable homesharers in asking important questions of their prospective housemates and in the construction of comprehensive homeshare agreements. The Housing NOW team is available through email, telephone and letter mail, if needed.
Housing NOW is initiating a 'Finding Resolutions' component and publication, to aid Gulf Island homesharers in navigating conflict resolution using the Peace of the Circle process - a flexible process to connect, communicate and create change through restorative practices.
Exit interviews and surveys are conducted, to help us build a success profile for the program and extended supports are offered for up to 8 months after leaving the Registry program.
Some examples of the support being asked for (in exchange for a reduced rental rate) are: light to moderate gardening,yard maintenance, snow removal, bringing in firewood, additional house cleaning and organizing, additional meal preparation, and in some instances, running errands. Pet care has been asked about on several occasions but we are not, as of yet, noticing a trend.
Our Host registration is open to any homeowner in the Gulf islands. The majority of homeowners appear to be between the ages of 45 - 75 and we seem to be seeing a variety of both male and female registrants. Although we aim to create intergenerational relationships between our Islands' seniors and our much needed workforce population, we are definitely seeing a younger generation of homeowners opening their homes in order to utilize the homeshare rental income to supplement the rising cost of homeownership in the region.
Our Guest registration is open to a wide range of applicants. As we are targeting our community's need for workforce housing; as well as our seniors' population's right to age in place with dignity, we are working closely with for profit organizations in the region, to help insure their employee housing needs are met. We are seeing an age range of 19 - 55 applying and have had close to 75% of our homeseeker registrants indicating that they are looking for single occupancy. More than 85% of Registry users are open to a work exchange agreement with any suitable Host connection.
