HomeShare SLO

Seekers pay a $50 fee at the time they submit their application. The application is good for two years, allowing you to pursue matches during that time. If your match ends and your application is over two years old, we will ask you to reapply and pay the fee again. We can't guarantee we'll make an introduction for you that will result in a homeshare match, as it's the provider's decision who they decide to share with. Providers pay no fee at the time of application, but half of the first month's rent is paid directly to Smart Share Housing Solutions (HomeShareSLO), to support program costs at the time of move-in.

Plan on anywhere from several weeks to a month or more. You can expedite the process by making sure you provide appropriate references and that they are available and will respond to our inquiries in a timely manner. Also, be sure to give us your current phone numbers (and let us know if they need to be updated) so that we can easily reach you. If we have someone currently on our list who meets your needs, the process will be faster than if we have to wait for the right person to come along. Some people find a match quickly, sometimes it takes weeks or months, and some never find the right situation for themselves. It all depends on you, your specific needs and preferences, and the availability of other seekers or providers who can offer the qualities you are looking for.

HomeShare SLO cannot make that decision for you, but we can tell you what some other people in similar situations have charged. We suggest you talk it over with family or friends. You can look in the newspaper or craigslist for market value rents.

It varies. Each HomeShare provider sets her or his own rent. All household members are expected to do their share of chores to keep common areas clean and safe.

This is the reason for the trial match period. It gives you some real experience together before a definite decision is made. Even after the agreement is signed you can terminate the arrangement. But don't give up too easily. Sometimes all that is needed is some honest communication and clear statement of your needs. HomeShare is available to help smooth out the rough spots in your relationship.

It varies. Some last for years, others for months. The average time home shares last is between one and four years. Sometimes a person moves away, or an older homeowner may become disabled and need to live in a more supportive environment. Family situations change, and with that, living arrangements are altered.

It's the little things, right? Some folks squeeze the excess water out of their sponge after using it, and some don't. You can't cover everything in those first face-to-face meetings, but we try to include questions about all the important areas, to get the conversation going. For instance, 'how important is it to you that the home's common areas are kept clean and tidy?' is meant to get the whole sponge-squeezing controversy out in the open. Compatibility is comprised of details like this-- preferred home temperature, television viewing, guests, storage, noise--our mission is to find folks that align well in the big and the little areas of living.

Start with the HomeShare SLO page on our website. You may also be interested in taking our FREE How to Homeshare course. You can access it from our HomeShare SLO page.

Co-living is a style of housing that includes private areas and shared areas. It can refer to anything from intentional communities with private apartments and homes and shared common areas, to living with roommates. This can look like adult roommates homesharing in single family homes, or floors in a high-rise building that have been converted into dormitory-style lodging with shared kitchen and living areas. Humans have been using co-living arrangements since the dawn of time, Humans have lived in shared housing for millennia. Today, starting in the early 1970's, more than 60 home share organizations in the U.S. have made tens of thousands of successful matches. Scandinavian countries, such as Denmark, have been developing co-living housing developments for decades.

Co-Living Collaborative is one of Smart Share Housing Solutions' three programs. It seeks to foster affordable housing solutions that have common areas and a sense of community, while also affording privacy. Smart Share is exploring opportunities in our county to establish co-living centers. Since 2017 we've investigated older motels, bed-and-breakfast inns, large residences and other under-utilized commercial or public properties for possible acquisition and conversion to a co-living center. Many of these collaborative dwellings are successfully meeting people's needs for housing in community all over the world. The Waterman Village Project is a development in conjunction with the City of San Luis Obispo. The co-living center will be in downtown SLO - a car free cottage cluster community. The Waterman Village Project is a micro village in development right now! Stay tuned for more information or join our mailing list to stay up to date on the latest. Look for more co-living projects ahead!

Waterman Village is a joint project of the City of San Luis Obispo (the owner of the property) and Smart Share Housing Solutions, a non-profit organization. The use of the historic Rosa Butron de Canet Adobe and grounds will be established in a long-term lease between the City and Smart Share Housing Solutions. The project vision includes preservation of the site's natural beauty and a majority of the trees, rehabilitation of the historic adobe, construction of a micro-village of efficient small homes, and creation of a neighborhood park. Waterman Village will be a cultural heritage center that models sustainable living practices, encourages community interactions through walking and bicycling, and provides residents and the community a calm, shaded neighborhood park. Once rehabilitated, the historic adobe will contain an office, kitchen, bathroom, and space for small meetings or gatherings. A model, car-free, cottage cluster of homes will provide affordable housing for community-minded residents, committed to the project and sustainable living practices. Public access hours to view the historic adobe to be determined. Park grounds will be accessible to neighbors during daylight hours. Through these efforts, neighborhood safety and vitality will be further enhanced and this project will serve as a replicable community partnership model for other game changing adaptive reuse, community resilience, and affordable housing partnerships ahead. Summary: 20 permanent, below-market rate homes, built on foundations, each with full bathing, kitchen and laundry facilities A group of efficient small homes (220-260 square feet) and a neighborhood park around a restored historic adobe that serves as a gathering center for residents (14 attached and 6 detached) A cultural heritage center that models sustainable living practices, encourages community interactions through walking and bicycling, and provides residents and the community a calm, shaded neighborhood park. The all-electric, high efficiency homes and the adobe will be hooked up to City water, wastewater and electric infrastructure, just like all other homes on the block, and they will have solar generating capacity added on, to meet or exceed California codes.

Likely residents include older single women on a fixed income; working singles who choose to live simply and car-free; or a working mom or dad with a small child. Residents will have to apply, meet income and other requirements, and will then be selected via lottery.

The property will be managed by Smart Share Housing Solutions or another non-profit housing organization using an on-site office and an off hours on-site resident manager.

Increase socialization and provide a neighborhood park Provide housing for people who need it Preserve the majority of the on-site trees Restoration of the adobe, currently boarded up for many years A beautiful, centrally located place for San Luis Obispo residents of limited means who want to live simply, in community, and car-free near downtown Sustainability showplace and education center

Now that the project is approved, the SmartShare team will seek project construction estimates and begin fundraising in earnest. March 4, 2025: The City Council unanimously voted to reject the appeal and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission. Dec. 17, 2024: The project was appealed by Stephan Barasch (owner of a neighboring rental property) on behalf of the San Luis Obispo Property and Business Owner's Association, which required that the project then be heard by the City Council. Dec. 11, 2024: The Planning Commission unanimously approved the project with a few conditions. Nov. 18, 2024: The Architectural Review Commission approved the project with a few recommendations. Oct. 28, 2024: The project was approved by the Cultural Heritage Commission with a few recommendations. Development review of the project application is underway, during which time the project will be evaluated to make sure it meets objective City requirements and adequately protects the existing historic adobe. Smart Share's volunteer team continues to: share information about the project with neighbors and community members; request support and funding from community members; and build a sense of excitement around how this co-living, cottage cluster community model, with lower cost permanent, affordable tiny housing and car-free living, can work on this site and be replicated elsewhere. Smart Share staff is working with City and County staff and applying to foundations to secure affordable housing, historic preservation and community electrification and resiliency funds for the project. Public involvement will be essential to a successful project.

Started in 2019, ADU SLO was created to educate, inspire and assist property owners with the logistics of adding housing units to backyards, garages, infill lots and existing buildings that already have infrastructure and an embedded energy grid. Smart Share supports opportunities for safe and affordable housing through Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOWs) in San Luis Obispo County backyards.

The ADU SLO program had a contract with the City of Arroyo Grande in 2023-24 to produce workshops and provide technical assistance to city homeowners who were interested in building ADUs. That contract has ended, but a video of the presentation can still be accessed on our website. Keep in mind that while much of it is general and will apply to all jurisdictions, this presentation was created specifically for Arroyo Grande residents and some may not apply to you.

Maybe. We do offer some limited fee-for-service items, particularly in southern San Luis Obispo County. Please contact us via email: info@smartsharehousingsolutions or phone: 805-215-5474 for more specifics. Be sure to call your city or county office and request information about ADUs, maybe even suggest they contract with Smart Share Housing Solutions to provide resources to your jurisdiction.