share_a_home_whidbey » Good Cheer Blog

WISH – Whidbey Island Share a Home is a non-profit program for affordable housing created almost six ago by the Soroptimists of South Whidbey Island. WISH became an independent program one year later under the leadership of their founders. They have grown into an island wide program, serving the community for the last two years but have kept their roots in Freeland. The WISH office is housed at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Rt 525.

Their mission is to provide affordable housing alternatives on Whidbey Island. They utilize existing housing by helping bring together home providers, who want to share their homes, with home seekers looking for an affordable place to live. Home providers are willing to share space in their home in exchange for rent, services or a combination of both.

For older home owners, sharing means remaining independent in their own homes. No two home sharing arrangements are alike. They vary according to the personal needs, time and abilities of the people involved.

What is unique about this program is that they attempt to match the home provider and home seeker through a process. This is not like sharing a home through Craigslist or through the newspaper.

The process has the following steps:

1. The first step is to request an application.
2. WISH then will contact references and conduct a criminal background check.
3. There is an in-depth interview to understand your housing needs and personal interests.
4. Profile listings of all approved home providers and home seekers are made available.
5. WISH is a “self-match” program. You decide who you would like to meet. If both parties are in agreement, WISH provides contact information.
6. Once you have met, you both decide if you want to live together.

Why do people want to home-share?

People enter home sharing arrangements for many different reasons. Some people want help with housing expenses, while others are interested in companionship or security. Some home sharing matches involve the exchange of home services in place of part or all of the rent. These services can help older adults maintain their homes.

Home sharing can help people of all ages through transitional periods such as a divorce, loss of a spouse, temporary unemployment, or educational pursuits. The rent will vary match to match. Rent is determined by the home-provider, and will depend on the type of services, if any, the home-seeker will provide.

Home seekers are looking for affordable housing on Whidbey Island. For those looking for a place to rent, sharing offers a better place to live for less.

Over eighty per cent of their clients are women and women with children. The vast majority are over 60 years old. They may be homeless or they may face the need to be placed in a care facility. Many potential home providers can’t safely remain in their homes alone or they face the threat of losing their homes due to finances. People can help each other and help to overcome these circumstances.

WISH made 53 matches in the past year, more than doubling the previous year but with less funding. Due to the economy their community outreach has been below expectations but the need continues to increase.

WISH works with the Rural Homeless population. These are not the street homeless that we see on the street corners in big city’s but the working poor and those on fixed incomes.

WISH strives to help everyone who comes to their door but the availability of affordable housing on the island does not come close. The vast majority of home seekers have an income that is 30% of the national poverty level. Many of these are also the same folks who use our wonderful food bank to make ends meet and put a wholesome healthy meal on the table.

There is no “”housing bank’ to shelter people on a cold wet night in January. Imagine sitting in a car at the Park and Ride trying to put your life in order and just wishing for a real home. We all know the need on this island. When people are hungry we all help to feed them; now please lets help them find a safe affordable place to live.