Room Rentals in San Mateo County: Have a room? Need a room?

South San Francisco, CA  April 4, 2014  Submitted by Councilmember Liza Normandy

HIP Housing is a local non-profit organization dedicating to helping our residents find housing. This list represents a few offerings for April. For more information contact HIP  They also have a ‘Field Office’ at 601 Grand Avenue 829.3971.

Email mailbox@hiphousing.org

Rooms For Rent

Belmont: One unfurnished bedroom to rent in a 1BR/1BA apartment. The bedroom will be available to rent for $900 per month with a $500 deposit.  Housemate already has a cat and will accept another animal with a $25/monthly fee. Access to laundry, kitchen and storage space in the apartment. Apartment is located near public transit, with available off street parking. No smoking, max 1 person.

Daly City: Two unfurnished bedrooms to rent in a 3BR/2BA home, $700 per month plus a $700 deposit or $600 for the smaller room with a $600 deposit.   Outside smoking is ok. Home is located near public transit, with available street parking.

Menlo Park: Unfurnished bedroom to rent in a 3BR/1BA home, $650 a month with a $200 deposit.  Max 1 person. Seeking nonsmokers and no pets. Home is located near public transit, with available street parking. Both cable and Wi-Fi available with a $50 utilities fee per month.

Millbrae: Unfurnished bedroom to rent in a 4BR/1BA home, $650 a month plus $25 a month for laundry use. Seeking nonsmoker and no pets. Max 1 person. Home is located near public transit, with available street parking and storage space. It’s a 2 story home with nice neighbors, a private entrance and a private bath.

Pacifica: A very neat and clean, 7 BR/ 3.5 BA, home to share. Room will rent for $800/month plus a $800 deposit. Owner has a cat but cannot accept any more animals. Max 1 person and no smoking allowed. Home is located near public transit, with available off street parking and storage space. The home is in a quiet neighborhood with very beautiful surroundings and is within walking distance to the beach.

Redwood City: One unfurnished room available in a 1 BR/1BA apartment, $600 a month plus $30 for utilities. No smoking, no pets and max 1 person. Apartment is located near public transit, with available street parking, laundry and kitchen use. Home Provider who lives there now will occupy the living room. Apartment is close to most amenities, grocery stores and restaurants.

San Bruno: One unfurnished room available in a 3 BR/2.5 BA home. Room is $800 a month with a deposit of $800 and shared utilities. Outside smoking is ok. Max 1 person. Apartment is located near public transit, with available street parking, laundry and kitchen use.

San Mateo: Furnished room in a 3BR/1BA home to rent for $500/month with a $200 deposit. No smoking, no pets. Max 1 person. Clean home with access to the kitchen and parking in a quiet neighborhood. Homeowner is looking for someone to exchange light housecleaning, taking out the trash and bringing in the garbage cans.

San Mateo: One unfurnished room available in a 4 BR/ 2 BA.  $750/month plus a $300 deposit. Outside smoking is ok but no pets. Home is located near public transit, with available street parking and kitchen use.1 person max.

South San Francisco: Two unfurnished rooms available in a 4 BR/2 BA home, $650 a month with a $650 deposit for each room. No smoking, no pets, max 1 person. Home is located near public transit, with available street parking, laundry and kitchen use.

Renters Seeking Room

Male seeker looking for a room to rent between San Mateo and East Palo Alto. Able to pay $900 a month. He is looking for a furnished/unfurnished room closer to his job. Outside smoker and ok with living with someone who smokes and has pets. He is at work most of the time but enjoys sports and singing during his free time.

Female seeker looking for a room to rent in Menlo Park, Atherton or Redwood City and is able to pay $1,000 a month. She is looking for an unfurnished room to be closer to Palo Alto. Seeker does not smoke nor has pets but would consider living with an outside smoker and in a household with pets. Seeker enjoys exercising and spending time with friends.

Male seeker looking for a room to rent from Foster City to San Bruno and is able to pay $600 a month. He is looking for a furnished/unfurnished room. Seeker does not smoke nor have any pets and would prefer a non-smoking household. Pets are ok. Seeker spends a lot of time working and hiking.

Male seeker looking for a room to rent anywhere between San Bruno and Portola Valley and is able to pay $700 a month. He is looking for a furnished/unfurnished room. Ideally he would like to be near public transportation.  Seeker does not smoke nor have any pets but would consider a smoker and living in a household where there is a dog. He works part time, likes to take long bike rides and enjoys peace and quiet.

Mother and daughter are looking for a room to rent anywhere between Belmont and Hillsborough and are able to pay $1,000 a month. They are looking for an unfurnished room.   Seeker does not smoke nor have any pets but would consider living in a household with pets.  Seeker works two jobs and goes to college.

Female seeker looking for a room to rent anywhere between South S. F. and Menlo Park and is able to pay $600 a month. She is looking for an unfurnished room. Seeker does not smoke and would only consider living with a nonsmoker. Seeker has a small dog and would consider other pets. Would need street parking and is willing to consider a service exchange. She enjoys volunteering and walking her dog.

Single parent looking for a furnished/unfurnished room between Belmont and Burlingame. Able to pay $900 a month. Would like to be near public transportation. Seeker would consider a nonsmoker and prefers to live in a household without pets. She enjoys playing sports and spending time with friends and family.

Female seeker looking for a furnished/unfurnished room between South S.F. to Menlo Park and is able to pay $400 a month with a flexible service exchange including cooking and cleaning.

Female seeker looking for a furnished/unfurnished room with street parking between Portola Valley and Redwood City. Able to pay $700 a month. Seeker would consider a home with pets and prefers living with non-smokers. When not at work or school she enjoys volunteering at the hospital and spending time with friends and family.

Senior seeker looking for a furnished/unfurnished room between Portola Valley and Millbrae and is able to pay $650 a month and willing to do a service exchange including cooking and cleaning. Seeker would consider a home with pets and no smoking. She enjoys working and volunteering.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOME SHARING PROGRAM

1. 1.                  How does home sharing work?

HIP Housing is a nonprofit organization which since 1972 has been connecting Home owners or renters (Home Providers) with persons seeking housing (Home Seekers) to pay rent, exchange services in lieu of rent or a combination of the two. IN this housing market, rents in the Home Sharing Program typically range from $600 on up with occasional lower rents. Some rents include utilities and others pay a portion. Service Exchanges involve non-medical care such as helping with meals, shopping, cleaning, companionship and doing errands. There are generally more rent exchanges than service exchanges. Each person has their own room and shared common areas of the home. After clients are interviewed by a HIP Housing coordinator, clients are given referrals and contact potential housemates on their own using a guide provided by the agency. HIP Housing’s Home Sharing Coordinators help complete Living Together Agreements between housemates and provide follow-up support.

1. 2.                  What are the benefits of Home Sharing?
   

Whether a home provider or home seeker, one of the reasons persons decide to home share is because they find it difficult to afford housing costs on their own. For those hoping to find an affordable or low-income housing unit, they may encounter long or closed waiting lists. The reality of getting low-income housing within a short period of time isn’t likely. That’s why home sharing can be a unique housing option. Some clients home share until they are able to find subsidized or low-income housing while others choose home sharing as a way to keep their housing costs affordable on a long-term basis.

For home providers, with someone else living in the home they are able to continue living in their own home and neighborhood. Additional benefits of home sharing allow home providers to save money, put the extra income toward other personal or housing expenses, experience a sense of security, enjoy companionship and maintain independence.

With market rents unattainable for many, home sharing gives home seekers an affordable room in a home atmosphere. Many home sharers receive mutual benefits of companionship and security, the opportunity to help the home provider and being able to save money, reduce debt and keep housing & utility costs affordable.

1. 3.                  What type of client applies to the home sharing program?
   

HIP Housing interviews clients of all walks of life including those who are working, seniors, single parents, persons with disabilities, persons exiting from a shelter, students and others who receive benefits such as unemployment, TANF, retirement or disability income.

1. 4.                  What information do we need from the person applying for home sharing?

Applicants are asked to provide proof of ID, names and phone numbers of three persons they would like to use as a reference (preferably employment, residence and personal) and proof of their income. Income information is confidential and used only for statistical purposes.

1. 5.                  How long does it take to place someone in home sharing?

Clients are encouraged to keep in regular contact with their home sharing coordinator to receive referrals of potential housemates and then to follow-up with the referrals given by returning calls and making appointments to see potential housemates. The number of referrals given to clients of potential housemates depends on a number of factors: family size seeking housing, amount of rent charged/able to pay, location, pets, smoking and other personal preferences. HIP Housing’s staff will work with clients for the duration of the time they are searching for a housemate whether the client finds a placement through our agency or something on their own. HIP Housing cannot guarantee placement in a housing arrangement.

1. 1.                  How long does the typical match last?

If both parties are happy with the match and circumstances do not change for either side, matches can last for many years, with great friendships being formed. The average length of stay is nearly three years with some matches lasting a shorter or longer period of time.

1. 2.                  Do you match people of different ages, interests and genders?

Yes. Clients are asked to complete a questionnaire giving them the opportunity to share with us their ideal home share arrangement, personal characteristics and other factors regarding living with another person. Clients have the opportunity to interview and select their own housemate and to check the references of clients.

1. 3.                  How do you complete a match?

The two parties in a home sharing match are offered the opportunity to put their understandings in writing by completing a Living Together Agreement with the assistance of the housing counselor. Each participant is encouraged to review the agreement periodically to make any adjustments or changes. HIP Housing is available to help housemates work through any issues or concerns once the housing arrangement begins. If the match needs to end, each participant is expected to give the other party a written notice as agreed upon in the Living Together Agreement.

1. 4.                  What can you do to help encourage persons to home share?

People may not consider home sharing an option because they believe they can find their own place, find a housemate on their own or may have had a negative experience home sharing on their own. For those seeking housing, finding independent housing may be a longer term goal and clients should take into consideration their ability to pay a first and last month’s rent and deposit, credit and debt situation and paying a rent that may be beyond their means. For Home Providers, they may have had a negative experience sharing with someone in the past. It’s possible they were not provided with the guidance and support needed to help make a successful shared living arrangement (i.e., how to interview a housemate, checking references, completing a Living Together Agreement, follow-up support). HIP Housing provides one-on-one support to clients to help create a positive shared housing arrangement.

1. 5.                  How do people apply to the Home Sharing Program?

Persons can call our staff to discuss home sharing as a possibility for them. Contact HIP Housing at 650-348-6660 for information and to schedule an interview. The interview will last approximately 45 minutes and will involve meeting with one of HIP Housing’s Home Sharing Coordinators to complete an application and interview. HIP Housing has 4 offices throughout San Mateo County and staff bilingual in Spanish.

1. 6.                  Where are the offices located?

The main office is at 364 South Railroad Avenue in San Mateo. The Redwood City office at the Fair Oaks Community Center is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The South San Francisco Office at the Magnolia Senior Center is open on Tuesdays. The Daly City Office at Peninsula Works is open on Thursdays. Persons can call our main office at 650-348-6660 to schedule an appointment in any of our offices. It doesn’t matter which office the client has their interview in. Each housing coordinator has the same housing referrals. If a client is home bound, a home visit will be arranged.