The abundance of tech jobs. The beautiful natural scenery. The environmentally-conscious lifestyle. There are plenty of reasons to fall in love with Portland, Oregon, no matter what you’re into. The City of Roses has a unique culture and universal appeal: it was ranked as both the #1 best place to live for seniors and as one of the 10 Safest Cities for Families with Young Children. It’s also been highlighted as a tech hub in recent years as well as a dream destination for hikers thanks to its 180 miles of trails. While the rain can be a downside, what few realize is that almost any climate you desire is only ever 90 minutes away—beach, year-round skiing, dry desert. It’s all within reach if you need a quick escape.  

With such diverse appeal, it’s no surprise that Portland has exploded in popularity and population. In the last decade alone, the city has seen an influx of nearly 400,000 new residents. This growth has led to a spike in rent prices and overall cost of living: the average Portland renter looking for a one-bed apartment can expect to spend $1,500/mo in rent, while home buyers are facing a median home price of $500,000.   

Question: what is homesharing?

It’s pretty simple, really. Homesharing is another example of the sharing economy, like ridesharing or coworking. It’s shared housing in which a homeowner chooses to live together with at least one other non-related person in exchange for rent (and sometimes, in exchange for help around the house). 

The Loneliness Epidemic was raging long before COVID-19, but the events of the past year have only highlighted the struggle that nearly 1 in 5 Americans over 65 face daily. The effects of a pandemic on top of existing isolation have disproportionately impacted older adults, and a variety of modern approaches will be required to address their needs.

Homesharing is not a new concept. People have long kept lodgers, tenants and roommates. What’s new for most people is the use of digital tools to make homesharing modern, scalable and practical for how we live today. Making those tools user-friendly and reassuring for older adults is more vitally important than ever. Our mission is to enable and operationalize homesharing as a part of population health initiatives designed to help combat loneliness and isolation among older adults.

In our latest report, we examined the intersection of healthcare and isolation, positioning homesharing as a holistic intervention for individual health. You can read and download the full report for free by clicking the link below.

It might surprise you to learn that the term “generation gap” was only defined as recently as 1992. It’s a concept as old as time—the idea that, as VeryWell puts it, the “differences between generations... cause difference in opinions and communication.” For as long as there have been parents, there have also been children whose habits and perspective feel foreign. So, then, why have we only recently decided to label it as a gap? 

The answer is that there’s more distance between generations than ever before. Because we’re living longer than ever, the senior population is larger than ever and is projected to grow a whopping 84% between 2010 and 2030.  

At the same time, boomers are remaining in the workforce—and working alongside the massive contingent of millennial professionals—until well into their 60s and 70s. As Gen Z comes of age, we’ll see and unprecedented three generations working alongside one another—and sometimes struggling to communicate. 

While it takes creativity and cooperation to form relationships across generational lines, the benefits are well worth the effort. And with these larger dynamics at play impacting our society for decades to come, it’s in all our best interests to open ourselves to the possibility of intergenerational relationships. 

There are plenty of reasons Denver was recently ranked as the #2 Best Place to Live in The U.S by US News and World Report. There’s the amazing natural beauty, outdoorsy fun and hundreds of days of sunshine every year. There’s also a solid and diverse economy, with lots of jobs in technology, aerospace, agriculture and more. We can't forget the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets and Avalanche… and, of course, the fantastic local beer and brewery culture. 

Denver has seen explosive growth over the last 10-15 years, but the housing supply has not kept up—leading to skyrocketing prices. According to Westword, the median home price in metro Denver has increased nearly 35% over the past five years. And despite the pandemic, the crazy housing market “remains red-hot.” 

When it comes to housing costs, Los Angeles is one of the toughest markets in the nation. According to a recent analysis by Zillow Research, LA renters spend 45% of their income on the typical property (spending more than 30% is considered “cost-burdened”). Homeowners in the area aren’t much better off, spending nearly 44% of their income on the typical mortgage (based on current prices). To make matters worse, if you’re among the many San Francisco or San Jose residents found by Zillow to be earning a lower income, you have a whole lot less to live on after paying those high housing costs.  

Over the last 100 years or so, the American economy—and, in many ways, our culture—has been hyper-focused on efficiency and specialization. Interestingly, this focus has changed our lives and relationships too. In a speech given at the 2019 Aspen Ideas Festival, author and CEO Marc Freedman shared how post-industrialized America began to “specialize” experiences by age in a way that previous societies had not, and the trend has only accelerated over the years. This kind of segmentation is efficient for marketers, education, military service and medicine… but we’ve lost something along the way.

Tim rents a room in Suz's house in Arvada, CO. They've developed a sweet friendship. Watch their homesharing story here!

Here's a group of four adults who are choosing to live together in their 50s. The community they've built is powerful, supportive and fun. Watch their homesharing story here!

Watch this heart-warming story of two happy Silvernesters in Fort Collins, Colorado.