1. Create Your Profile

Crafting your Homies profile is the first step toward building your ideal living situation. Your profile will help match you with the right supportive roommate by highlighting important details such as:

• Lifestyle Preferences: Share your hobbies, daily routines, and what your day-to-day life looks like.
• Roommate Preferences: Let us know what kind of roommate you’d like to live with.
• Desired Location: Choose where you want to live, whether it’s close to work, family, or in a particular neighborhood.
• Communication Preferences: Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, let us know how you prefer to interact with others.
• Support Needs: Specify any personal care or assistance you may require.
• Engagement in Community Activities: If you like to stay active in your community, let us know what activities or groups you’d like to participate in.
• Deal Breakers: List any non-negotiables, such as pets, smoking, or drinking.

2. Choose Your Roommate
At Homies, we believe in connecting individuals based on friendship and compatibility. Your roommate can be someone you already know or a new connection who shares your interests and values. Your supportive roommate could be:

• A friend
• A family member (like siblings or cousins)
• A current or former staff member
• A co-worker
• A fellow student or member from your place of worship
• A neighbor

3. Secure Your Dream Home
Whether you’re moving into a new place or modifying your current residence, Homies works with you to find a housing option that fits your lifestyle. We partner with you to create an environment that fosters independence, comfort, and well-being.

4. Finalize Your Budget and Support Plan
With the help of your Regional Center and Service Coordinator, we will create a customized budget and support plan tailored to your individual needs. This plan ensures you have the necessary resources and assistance for a thriving independent living experience.

5. Move In and Receive Ongoing Support
Once everything is in place, Homies ensures a smooth transition into your new living situation. Your supportive roommate will provide personalized assistance based on your preferences and needs, which may include:

• Overnight presence
• Shared activities
• Meal preparation and assistance
• Transportation to appointments or social events
• Help with financial management and budgeting
• Medication reminders and health management

Our goal is to help you live independently while receiving the support you need to succeed.

Life-sharing supports individuals with disabilities to live with qualified adults who provide support in their home.

Life-sharing means living with and sharing life experiences with supportive persons who form a caring household. Life-sharing is recognized as both a close personal relationship and a place to live. Life-sharers offer individuals the opportunity to be part of a family and to participate in community life.

Life-sharers and individuals are carefully matched and supported by qualified professionals to achieve the person’s program objectives. Birth families are encouraged to be part of the matching process and continue to have close relationships with individuals who choose a life-sharing option.

At Homies, we’re all about creating and maintaining great roommate relationships for everyone involved. We offer support by giving you access to helpful resources, friendly guidance, and regular check-ins to make sure everything is going smoothly in your living situation.

We know that open communication is key for a happy home life, so our team is always ready to listen and help with any concerns you may have. If there’s a disagreement or misunderstanding, we’ll step in and help find a solution that works for both parties.

We also understand that life happens and things can change. Our team is here to support any adjustments you might need to make in your living arrangement, whether that’s tweaking the way support is provided, offering extra resources, or even finding a new match if needed. Our main goal is to keep everyone in the Homies community feeling satisfied and successful in their roommate relationships.

Our team identifies each individual’s needs, preferences, location, and lifestyle to determine compatibility. We consider various factors such as personal interests, required support, and living habits, to create a strong foundation for a successful and lasting match.

There are many options for individuals who can become your supportive roommate, such as:

• A friend
• A neighbor
• A co-worker
• Family members (parent, brother, sister, cousin, etc.)
• Former or current staff
• Someone from your school or university
• Someone from your place of worship
• Someone who has a job during the day and wants to be a roommate in the evening

Homies believes in the importance of choice and will work with you to find a supportive roommate who is compatible with your lifestyle, interests, and needs.

At Homies, we prioritize the safety of our participants and are dedicated to providing quality support. To ensure that supportive roommates are reliable and trustworthy, we follow a rigorous screening process. This includes verifying their full legal name and phone numbers and conducting comprehensive background checks through state criminal court systems and the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender database.

We also provide comprehensive training to our supportive roommates, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively work with people with disabilities. This training covers best practices, effective communication strategies, and essential caregiving techniques to ensure a high standard of care and support.

We also offer guidance and best practices for interacting with connections to promote safety and positive experiences. We enforce a zero-tolerance policy for behavior that violates our rules, and anyone engaging in inappropriate conduct will be flagged and permanently removed from our system. Our commitment to safety, security, and quality support remains a top priority throughout the entire roommate relationship.