{"id":1038945,"date":"2026-09-02T13:50:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T13:50:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1038945\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T13:50:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T13:50:31","slug":"facing-californias-housing-crisis-seniors-are-finding-young-roommates-and-companionship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/1038945\/","title":{"rendered":"Facing California’s housing crisis, seniors are finding young roommates \u2014 and companionship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Housing stories in California can leave me feeling, well, depressed.<\/p>\n

Thousands of vacant lots that could be used for housing, but remain empty<\/a>. Affordable home options shrinking<\/a>. Aging Californians staying in their too-big homes<\/a>, limiting market availability.<\/p>\n

Alas, you get the point. But as I was reporting that last story<\/a>, I stumbled upon a trend that left me with some unexpected warm fuzzies: an uptick in intergenerational roommates.<\/p>\n

An increasing number of California seniors with extra space in their homes \u2014 often empty nesters \u2014 are considering bringing in younger roommates to help pay bills and, in the process, provide renters with affordable housing. For both parties, there\u2019s the added bonus of companionship, which studies have shown have a slew of benefits<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI enjoy the company, and these younger folks, they keep me on my toes,\u201d said Rudy Ramirez, a homeowner who used a local nonprofit to find renters for his three-bedroom home in the Bay Area enclave of Foster City. \u201cI\u2019m 74 years young!\u201d <\/p>\n

His 31-year-old housemate, Sarah Lawlor, pays him $900 a month for her room, a price she can afford as a childcare provider at a local fitness center \u2014 and about a quarter of the going rate for a one-bedroom apartment<\/a> in the area. <\/p>\n

\"Sarah <\/p>\n

Sarah Lawlor in her room she rents from Rudy Ramirez in Foster City.<\/p>\n

(Paul Kuroda\/For The Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very exhausting when you\u2019re unstable,\u201d Lawlor said of her prior housing situation, bouncing between family members\u2019 homes. \u201cI think I hit the jackpot. \u2026 Rudy\u2019s been a godsend.\u201d<\/p>\n

A win-win<\/p>\n

Housing experts call home sharing like this a win-win, particularly in California\u2019s extremely tight housing market, where seniors have few affordable options for downsizing and renters face high housing costs or excessively long commutes. The concept could be particularly useful as California\u2019s population continues to age: Almost a third of the state\u2019s residents are expected to be 60 or older by 2040, according to state data.<\/a> Currently, about 20% of those 60 and older live alone.<\/p>\n

\"Sarah <\/p>\n

Sarah Lawlor helps Rudy Ramirez with his walker as he heads off to a band gig in Foster City.<\/p>\n

(Paul Kuroda \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe amount of extra rooms that are available in people\u2019s homes could make a significant impact in providing affordable housing,\u201d said Laura Fanucchi, director of programs for HIP Housing<\/a>, a nonprofit in San Mateo County that helps match \u201chome providers,\u201d such as Ramirez, with \u201chome seekers,\u201d like Lawlor. <\/p>\n

HIP Housing is one of the oldest such nonprofits doing this work, operating since 1979, but new programs continue to pop up<\/a> and expand across the state and country as the interest \u2014 and need \u2014 rises. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe demand is ever growing,\u201d said Lucie Ashley, director of operations for Home Match, a nonprofit that provides similar services in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties, with plans to expand to Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties. \u201cThe cost of housing just keeps going up and building housing takes time. Home sharing programs are a great way to meet an immediate need.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Home Match first started in 2012 in Marin County, most of the interest came from seniors who wanted task-oriented support from a roommate, such as rides to appointments or help taking out trash, Ashley said. But in recent years, financial need has become the main driver, which has shifted the group\u2019s aim to homelessness prevention. <\/p>\n

\u201cHome sharing is the only thing they can afford,\u201d Ashley said, calling many clients \u201chouse rich, cash poor.\u201d <\/p>\n

As older adults have become the fastest-growing group facing<\/a> homelessness across California, Ashley said the home sharing model can provide these seniors with some breathing room \u2014 though she makes clear this model isn\u2019t a fix-all for California\u2019s complex housing crisis. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou still need to build, and you still need to do other things, but it can be a useful thing to utilize existing stock while you\u2019re working on other options,\u201d Ashley said. <\/p>\n

\u2018A second father to me\u2019<\/p>\n

Lawlor moved into Ramirez\u2019s house in March, improving her commute time, but also providing her with a comfortable and stable home. The roommates sometimes eat meals together and share household chores. <\/p>\n

\"Rudy <\/p>\n

Rudy Ramirez and Sarah Lawlor chat in the kitchen of Ramirez\u2019s Foster City home.<\/p>\n

(Paul Kuroda \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cRudy and I just hit it off,\u201d Lawlor said. \u201cRudy\u2019s like a second father to me. This is probably the best place I\u2019ve ever lived in my whole life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though most people are driven to such programs by financial need, Ashley said she can\u2019t overstate \u201cthe importance of the social connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s engendering this community that wouldn\u2019t otherwise be created,\u201d Ashley said. \u201cThis greater connection that would not otherwise happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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