{"id":18863,"date":"2021-05-26T12:15:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T19:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=18863"},"modified":"2021-05-26T12:16:00","modified_gmt":"2021-05-26T19:16:00","slug":"housing-creation-with-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2021\/05\/26\/housing-creation-with-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Housing creation with heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/2zwmzkbocl625qdrf2qqqfok-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/25270603_web1_copy_210524-SFE-EndardioHomeShare-SmithTaylor_1.jpg\" alt=\"Pierce Smith, left, and Ed Taylor have enjoyed living together in the Sunset as a result of a program called Home Match. (Courtesy photo)\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Pierce Smith, left, and Ed Taylor have enjoyed living together in the Sunset as a result of a program called Home Match. (Courtesy photo)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Home Match links seniors with people who need an affordable place to live<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/author\/j_engardio\/\">JOEL P. ENGARDIO<\/a><\/li><li>May. 24, 2021 5:00 p.m. (SFExaminer.com)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news-columnists\/\">NEWS COLUMNISTS<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/daily-headlines-newsletter\/\">NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it possible to create housing in San Francisco that isn\u2019t controversial?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pierce Smith and Ed Taylor discovered a way to quietly meet their housing needs while avoiding The City\u2019s fierce political battles over where and what to build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their solution doesn\u2019t change neighborhood character, pit landlords against tenants, or take a decade to get approved and built. They joined a nonprofit program called&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/covia.org\/programs\/home-match\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Home Match&nbsp;<\/a>that pairs seniors who have an extra bedroom with people looking for an affordable place to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Seniors get additional income, help around the house and someone to talk to. Their housemates get to stay in San Francisco at a fraction of the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s the catch? Pierce is 81 and Ed is 27. Imagine the high jinks when a military veteran from the Silent Generation shares his home with a rock-climbing millennial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re still trying to figure some things out,\u201d Pierce said. \u201cLike who puts the dishes in the dishwasher. But you don\u2019t want to father your roommate. That\u2019s a bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAt 81, I thought Pierce would be ancient and close to turning to dust,\u201d Ed said. \u201cBut Pierce is entirely with it \u2014 except for the occasional senior moment, like him accidentally eating my ice cream.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cue the theme music to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Af1h4ibpKJA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cThe Odd Couple.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Matchmaker, matchmaker<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pairing of Ed and Pierce was not random. There is a process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like a dating service but not meant for romance,\u201d said program director Karen Coppock. \u201cExpectations are discussed and set up front.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coppock also plays the role of head matchmaker. Cue the song from&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=InnM-XJthfI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cFiddler on the Roof.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I met Pierce it was like an awkward first date,\u201d Ed said. \u201cBut we got positive vibes from each other. We both read people well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coppock gives hosts a list of potential housemates to choose from. During the pandemic, pairs were first introduced by Zoom. Then they advanced to a socially distanced in-person meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A match is usually made after a host looks at three or four applicants that Coppock screens with background checks.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1kobfEdUcwmMvnYeSrT7Abib4Akdf01kFO5z_LSPH6a0\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Current&nbsp;<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1kobfEdUcwmMvnYeSrT7Abib4Akdf01kFO5z_LSPH6a0\/edit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">listing<\/a>s offer rooms that range from $400 to $1,100 a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pierce chose to share his Inner Sunset apartment with Ed because he was looking for more companionship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHaving someone to talk to is more civilized than living by yourself,\u201d Pierce said. \u201cBeing lonely is no fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ed was impressed by Pierce\u2019s history as a Vietnam War medic, construction worker on the BART Transbay tube, and someone who dated an heiress whose grandfather went down with the Titanic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPierce has lived lives I can\u2019t fathom,\u201d Ed said. \u201cI like hearing his stories because he has a lot of knowledge and experience. Pierce did way more at my age than I\u2019m doing at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Living contract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A mutually negotiated contract between host and housemate sets the terms for everything from rules on overnight guests to chores that can reduce the rent. The typical host is a woman around age 70 and they usually prefer a female housemate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes changes to the contract are needed and Coppock serves as the broker \u2014 like when a housemate starts dating someone and requests an increase in the number of nights guests can stay in a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Half of the hosts never allow guests. The rest say it\u2019s OK with some boundaries. To keep Pierce safe during the pandemic, Ed spent nights at his girlfriend\u2019s place before vaccinations were available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cShe\u2019s a teacher who worked from home and didn\u2019t go anywhere, so Pierce was comfortable with it,\u201d Ed said. \u201cWe were always conscious of Pierce\u2019s age and health concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contracts are commonly amended when hosts decide they want more help with daily activities in exchange for a reduction in rent. Housemates can agree to a set number of hours a week for house cleaning, running errands or assisting with technology and internet questions. They can even arrange to have a certain number of meals together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ed and Pierce have been living together for nearly a year, which is the average length of a pairing. The longest match in San Francisco is five years so far. The minimum stay is three months, \u201cbecause we\u2019re not Airbnb,\u201d Coppock said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Home Match isn\u2019t guaranteed lifelong housing. Individuals living in an owner-occupied home aren\u2019t subject to tenant\u2019s rights under California laws. A housemate cannot stay beyond the agreed upon date and hosts are able to end a contract at will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Coppock mediates disputes, she said break-ups are rare. Housemates usually move out when they\u2019re able to get their own place or a host becomes ill and requires more advanced care than Home Match can offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEveryone signs a living contract that can evolve over time,\u201d Coppock said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Homeless prevention<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ed was living in the Hunters Point neighborhood before he became a Home Match client. When the pandemic hit, his roommates left San Francisco and he couldn\u2019t afford to keep the apartment himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m underemployed, which is common for my age group,\u201d said Ed, who has a Bachelor\u2019s degree in history from the University of San Francisco and worked as an administrative assistant for One Medical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut I didn\u2019t want to move back in with my parents in Los Angeles,\u201d Ed said. \u201cAfter becoming sober, I became part of a recovery community here and I was afraid to reconstruct that network somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ed stumbled upon Home Match while reading Craigslist ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was relatively desperate, so I gave it a try,\u201d he said. \u201cNow I have a bit more faith that things are going to work out in life since this worked out so well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to San Francisco\u2019s housing wars, Ed said he wishes more apartment buildings were allowed in all parts of The City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe only option with our limited space is to build up,\u201d Ed said. \u201cIf we can\u2019t agree to do that, at least Home Match can house people using what we already have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There was a time when Ed was homeless. The Salvation Army offered him a safe place to live and get sober.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI know how important it is for people having challenges to have shelter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coppock said Home Match placed a couple living in their car who had lost jobs during the pandemic and burned through their savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re good at homeless prevention,\u201d Coppock said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2018A great thing\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Home Match is a city-sanctioned program that former Supervisor Katy Tang started in San Francisco through the Mayor\u2019s Office of Housing and Community Development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, Home Match is offered in multiple cities throughout the Bay Area. It\u2019s run by an<a href=\"https:\/\/frontporch.net\/affiliation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;affiliation<\/a>&nbsp;between nonprofit organizations Covia and Front Porch. Coppack oversees all of the programs and directly manages the San Francisco operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pierce heard about Home Match through a social worker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was living on social security, which isn\u2019t much, and I needed more income,\u201d said Pierce, who is twice-divorced. \u201cI was going through depression living alone. My kids are so far away in Philadelphia and Florida. I had no idea how helpful Home Match would be. It\u2019s a great thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s hard to say who benefits most from the arrangement, Pierce or Ed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ed gets to live in a bigger and nicer apartment than he could ever afford in San Francisco. He also sees Pierce\u2019s antique furniture and 1930s decor as a bonus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEverything matches the era of the building, so it fits. And I don\u2019t have to sit on random college kid furnishings from the sidewalk,\u201d Ed said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Home Match provided both Ed and Pierce with housing security, a rare outcome as San Francisco fights with itself about how to address its housing shortage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps the key to Home Match success is the human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLiving with Pierce is much more than a secure living situation. It\u2019s improved my quality of life,\u201d Ed said. \u201cWe get along well even if our lifestyles are a bit different. I think with age comes serenity, which is a great attribute in a roommate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Joel Engardio is a neighborhood advocate who lives on San Francisco\u2019s westside. His blog is engardio.com.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pierce Smith, left, and Ed Taylor have enjoyed living together in the Sunset as a result of a program called Home Match. (Courtesy photo) Home Match links seniors with people who need an affordable place to live JOEL P. ENGARDIO May. 24, 2021 5:00 p.m. (SFExaminer.com) NEWS COLUMNISTS NEWSLETTER Is&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2021\/05\/26\/housing-creation-with-heart\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18863"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18863"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18864,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18863\/revisions\/18864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}