The City of Kalamazoo seeks proposals from qualified candidates to conduct a feasibility study of a potential Home Sharing program in the City. Home Sharing creates households where two or more unrelated people share a home, creating a mutually beneficial living arrangement that can include keeping people in their existing homes, increasing the number of affordable housing units available, and creating community and companionship, including potential connections across generations and cultures. The Home Sharing model connects prospective tenants with homeowners who have vacant or underutilized bedrooms, more fully utilizing existing housing stock to meet the needs of the growing population of people seeking affordable housing within the City. Additionally, the Home Sharing model provides benefits to homeowners who need support to stay stably housed in their existing homes due to their needs for caregiving, companionship, struggles with housing costs, or other forms of support. While such living arrangement may naturally occur, the Home Sharing program extends this opportunity to those who have not considered such living arrangement and/or are not connected to others who may wish to participate. The model formalizes shared agreements that protect the safety and rights of both parties and aims to create mutual satisfaction. Home Sharing programs exist around the world, with increasing interest in the United States. The City of Kalamazoo is interested in whether, and to what extent, such a model would benefit its residents. Additionally, the City seeks to determine the feasibility of implementing such a program. The consultant will be expected to meet with City staff to review the project scope, discuss commitments, and answer any questions. Progress meetings may be requested. The feasibility study should include, but is not limited to, the following: 3.1 Define potential beneficiaries of the program, including demographics, population sizes, and housing feasibility to support a home sharing program and characteristics. 3.2 Analyze potential geographic service areas at the neighborhood or census tract level. 3.3 Estimate the extent and type of benefits that would be realized through the program. 3.4 Determine the feasibility of implementing the program, including needed resources, existing resources that may be utilized or leveraged, and potential barriers. 3.5 Evaluate how city, state, and federal regulations may impact the program. 3.6 Consider the organizational structure needed to implement the program. 3.7 Make recommendations of best practices for a Home Sharing program model specific to the City of Kalamazoo.
