Why HomeShare?
Oregon’s housing crisis has become a humanitarian crisis.
Oregon home providers are in crisis
In the last decade, Oregon has experienced a steady increase in homelessness.
State, county, and local municipalities have directed billions in resources to solve the problem,
but data shows that current solutions are not sufficient.
HomeShare Oregon launched as an innovative response to the affordable housing crisis.
Homeless People Live in Oregon
Average # of Renters Competing for One Available Unit of Housing
Societal Cost of One Person Falling into Homelessness
Why HomeShare Oregon?
Successful Matches
Oregonians served
Strategic Partnerships Formed
Counties Served
Older Oregon home providers are disadvantaged
The need among Oregon’s growing population of older adults is especially acute. Many older adults, particularly those on fixed incomes, are struggling to make ends meet in the face of rising living costs and inadequate retirement savings. The challenges are even more severe for senior women, who are the fastest growing population among the unhoused. This demographic is increasingly vulnerable, often facing financial instability due to factors like caregiving responsibilities, wage disparities, and longer life expectancies.
Rural areas of Oregon are also uniquely impacted. Limited access to services, coupled with a shortage of affordable housing options, leaves older adults in these communities particularly at risk. The isolation and scarcity of resources in these areas exacerbate the crisis, making it difficult for seniors to find safe, stable housing.
Homesharing offers a lifeline, providing both financial relief and companionship, allowing older adults to age in place with dignity. By connecting home providers with those in need of affordable housing, we can address this urgent issue and help our most vulnerable populations stay in their homes.
1 in 3 home providers in Oregon are housing cost-burdened.
557,000 home providers are cost-burdened
(spending >30% of income on housing)
246,000 home providers are severely cost-burdened
(spending >50% of income on housing)
Nearly 40% of Oregonians over 65 say they are at risk of losing their home.
172,000 home providers over 65 are cost-burdened
(spending >30% of income on housing)
77,000 home providers over 65 are severely cost-burdened
(spending >50% of income on housing)
HomeSharing is part of the solution
Homesharing is a direct, actionable response to housing instability, foreclosure, and homelessness.
There are 1.5 million homes with spare rooms in Oregon.
At HomeShare Oregon, we understand that if we can match housemates with just 2% of the home providers that have spare bedrooms, 30,000 people could be housed affordably and 30,000 more (specifically, home providers at risk of foreclosure) could stay in their homes—all with no new infrastructure development.
It costs approximately $350,000 to build one new affordable housing unit. By incentivising homesharing, we are lessening the need for construction of new housing and providing immediate, needed inventory.
Homesharing opens up the pipeline as a low-cost way to expand our state’s capacity to address the housing crisis. By leveraging technology, public education, community outreach and direct case management, HomeShare Oregon is being recognized as a common sense solution.
