Never Too Late - January 2022

Information

What is HomeMatch Pima?

It is usually a rite of passage at this time of year to consider changes, large and small, for our lives. Our home is one significant part of our lives, as it is directly related to our day- to-day life as well as our overall sense of safety, connection and community. In 2022, will you consider a change about your home? There are an increasing number of options for older adults to create a home environment unique to their needs. One such option is Home Sharing. What is Home Sharing? Home Sharing involves home owners choosing to share and rent their homes with compatible home sharers. Home Sharing speaks to the preference by many to age in place in their homes and communities and encourages social connection, a vital aspect of healthy aging. Home Sharing might also include additional income for the home owner or reduced rent for the home sharer. Alternatively, Home Sharing might include the home sharer providing a service (such as transportation, shopping, or cooking) to the home owner in exchange for a lower rent payment. Through the generous support of the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the City of Tucson, Pima Council on Aging (PCOA) brought together a team to begin development of a Home Sharing Program last fall. The PCOA team conducted extensive research to learn the best practices of Home Sharing Programs throughout the country. Much groundwork was offered by other programs, such as the importance of background checks, a thorough application and interview process for applicants, and follow-up to support the match. The team will now begin the next phase of program development to research the unique aspects of home sharing in Pima County. There will be discussion with stakeholders at the city, county and state levels to carefully align our program with existing zoning and occupancy laws in neighborhoods throughout Pima County as well as with state laws regarding landlords and renters.

HomeMatch Pima is the name of the PCOA program. You can learn more about HomeMatch Pima through future issues of Never Too Late as well as through informational updates at HomeSharing.pcoa.org on our website. At this time, we are asking home owners interested in learning more about HomeMatch Pima to complete a brief interest form. (That form can be accessed through HomeSharing.pcoa.org). Please note that home owners must be age 60 or older to participate in HomeMatch Pima . We will then follow up with interested home owners to provide more information about HomeMatch Pima. For more information, contact homeshare@pcoa.org. HomeMatch Pima is not affiliated with Tucson Home Sharing, which is an organization conducting home sharing information sessions, different from HomeMatch Pima at PCOA. HomeMatch Pima is not an emergency or crisis housing program. Visit the PCOA housing resources section, https://pcoa.org/ ways-we-help/housing.html/, to learn of housing options currently available in Pima County. PCOA Event Policy *All participants at in-person event(s) will be required to wear masks and adhere to PCOA distancing and safety guidelines, regardless of vaccination status. To assure your safety and that of others, depending on the situation with COVID-19 in our community, an event may be canceled or changed from an in-person event to a virtual event. Once registered, you will be notified regarding any such changes, should they occur, and provided with information about how to join the virtual event and additional options.

January 2022, Never Too Late | Page 29

Pima Council on Aging

Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker