Right now in Oregon, there are as many as 500,000 available bedrooms in existing homes. Meanwhile, Oregon is facing record levels of homelessness and housing insecurity. Seniors, communities of color, and students are among the worst hit by the housing crisis, with the fastest-growing homeless rates.

In 2018, 153,000 households spent more than 50% of their income on housing. Providing housing assistance to all of them would cost Oregon over a billion dollars. 

Home Share Oregon is a program that will house more than 1,000 Oregonians in its first 18 months of operation — for less than $750,000. In comparison, building 3,000 units of affordable housing will cost Metro an estimated $1 billion. Expressed another way, Home Share Oregon will house people for less than 1/500th of the cost of new construction.

The Home Share Oregon program is a combination of an online property management firm and in-person support in the community. A homeowner lists an available room, fills out an online questionnaire, and is “matched” with an average of eight potential renters. The owner selects and meets candidates until they find a good match. Lease agreement templates, legal counsel, and insurance are all a click away through the Home Share Oregon website. For those in need of more support, community organizations we partner with, such as Impact NW and Metro HomeShare, will guide people through assessing their individual needs and using the program — either over the phone or in person at select locations.

Our state’s thousands of spare bedrooms represent a housing resource available in a quantity that no other solution in Oregon can match. With the help of robust technology and extensive outreach and partnerships, Home Share Oregon can be a major asset in our region’s work to prevent homelessness.