Tucson Home Sharing, Inc. was established in February 2017, although initial outreach began in 2016 when Deborah Knox and Sharon Kha began sharing a home in midtown Tucson.

 

National media picked up on their story with articles in the online version of AARP, and later, in the print version of their Bulletin. Even the Wall Street Journal included them in an online publication, along with other success stories. The Pew Charitable Trust contacted Tucson Home Sharing in September 2019 and sent a crew from Washington DC to create a 5 minute video titled Boommates, as they too were discovering the value of home sharing to address the nationwide need of affordable housing. Watch the video here.

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Between 2017 and 2019, Sharon and Deb presented their story to more than 10 organizations serving the older populations in Tucson. These presentations were for outreach purposes to individuals as well as professional staff of organizations that serve elders. They include: PCOA (Pima Council on Aging), JFCS (Jewish Family and Children’s Services), Senior Pride of Southern Arizona, TMC for Seniors, Neighbors Care Alliance, SNAP (Sunrise Neighborhood Assistance Program), Ft. Lowell Live at Home Program, and many others within the ELDER Alliance Program.

 

Best Practices and Benefits

Model programs of home sharing that have been in business a number of years provide clear instructions and information for homeowners and homeseekers. These instructions include easily accessible intake forms, an online matching program administered by professional staff and trained volunteers, background checks that ensure security, training in communication and conflict resolution to ensure that long term relationships can be established and maintained.

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National Shared Housing Resource Center

This organization offers a program directory to over 50 established programs, and encourages sharing information and resources to help new programs get started. It’s exciting that this growing industry has such a well coordinated national support system to further promote the value and shared benefits of home sharing.

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Challenges and Next Steps

There is a need to educate and enlighten older adults in Pima County about the benefits of home sharing as people seek to overcome feelings of isolation, and loneliness, and the pressures of maintaining an affordable living place.

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Tucson Home Sharing was awarded an AARP Community Challenge grant to reach out to Homeowners/Providers to educate, and recruit interested candidates for this project. THS’s mission is to provide education, outreach and advocacy. Both agencies are be working closely together to ensure a safe, reliable and sustainable program.

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Conclusions:

Aging in the “Right” place needs to ensure diversity and equity in matches. The optimal outcome is to promote a high quality of life for those aging in their own homes and neighborhoods.  Shared Housing does not address the needs of the chronically homeless population, nor persons requiring full time in-home care.