Pilot program pairs San Jose empty nesters with young people doing service year

Across San Jose, hundreds of young adults sign up for a year of service after high school or college — working full-time at local community groups and nonprofits for a stipend that is rarely enough to cover rent in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets.

At the same time, the nation’s 10th largest city is home to thousands of empty nesters and retired homeowners with spare bedrooms who are looking for a bit of extra income or companionship.

So Silvernest, a company that pairs Baby Boomers with housemates, and Service Year Alliance, an organization that encourages young people to spend a year doing service work, have launched a partnership in San Jose.

As part of a new pilot program, service corps members volunteering with organizations like Public Allies or Our City Forest are matched with San Jose homeowners open to renting rooms at discounted prices.

“It’s kind of a perfect, natural fit,” Jennifer Hammer, director of strategic partnerships for Silvernest, said of the marriage.

During their service year, young people typically earn a stipend of $2,000 or less per month, far lower than the salary needed to afford a market-rate apartment in San Jose, where the median rent is more than $3,700. But rather than young people renting a cheaper apartment far away, Hammer said, finding a room through Silvernest lets them live in the communities they are serving.

Many seniors are willing to offer discounts to renters willing to walk a dog or mow a lawn, Hammer said, and find the idea of renting to a young person donating their time to educational or environmental organizations appealing.

Rosa Moreno, chief program officer at Service Year Alliance, said in a statement that the partnership also helps address one of the main hurdles to boosting participation in service years — particularly in a hot housing market like San Jose.

“Affording to live in San Jose on a modest living allowance can be challenging, and housing continues to be one of the biggest barriers to doing a service year,” Moreno said. “This creative solution enables young people to live where they are serving and, in doing so, build even stronger bonds in the local community and make a bigger impact on the issues they are addressing.”

Since the pilot is just launching, it’s not yet clear how many seniors or young people will participate. In a phone interview Moreno said San Jose has about 365 service corps members. Some of them may already be from the area and have housing sorted out, but others come from outside the area needing a place to stay.

Similar pilot programs, Hammer said, including one between homeowners and Teach For America participants in Denver, and another with education-focused City Year in Miami, have been successful.

“We’re really excited,” Hammer said, “about being able to match up some people.”

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