A new shared housing project taking shape in Sinking Spring aims to provide an affordable alternative for seniors and veterans while creating a community where residents can maintain their independence and support one another.
Homes of Grace co-owners April Crossley and Lura Bare are developing their first shared housing property in Berks County after spending more than two years working to bring the concept to the area. The pair also established the Shared Housing Support Foundation, a nonprofit designed to assist people living in shared housing.
Crossley and Bare, both Berks County landlords with backgrounds in real estate, said the idea grew out of their experiences seeing people struggle with the rising cost of housing.
“We both kind of come from backgrounds where we know what it’s like to struggle and try to make ends meet and just having enough money to get the next month’s rent,” Bare said. “So I think when you come from a life where you’ve had to start at the very bottom and struggle to get where you are, the best thing you can do is turn around and put your hand out and help someone else, help lift someone else up.”
The pair began researching shared housing, also known as co-living, after meeting at a real estate investment gathering more than two years ago. Crossley said the model is more common in other states but saw an opportunity to bring it to Berks County.
Finding an appropriate property proved to be one of the first challenges. Crossley said it took more than a year to locate a house with the proper zoning, followed by more than a year of construction and work through code requirements and inspections.
The Sinking Spring property will be geared toward residents age 55 and older and veterans. It is the organization’s first shared housing property in Berks County, although Crossley and Bare said they hope it can serve as a model for additional homes serving different populations in the future.
Under the shared housing model, residents rent individual rooms while sharing common areas of the home. Crossley said rent at the Sinking Spring property will be about 30% below fair market rent for the area and will be charged as a flat amount that includes utilities and Wi-Fi.
The organization has already developed an interest list of prospective residents through word of mouth and connections with community organizations. Bare and Crossley said referrals can come through groups and services including the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness, Tower Health’s Street Medicine program, 211 and other organizations.
“This is our first, but we have built a fairly large interest list of people who would like to come and live here,” Bare said.
Crossley said the model is intended to reduce some of the traditional barriers people face when trying to rent a home. Homes of Grace will not require residents to earn three times the monthly rent, for example, and does not require a traditional security deposit. Instead, residents will pay a smaller move-in fee and must demonstrate that they can afford the monthly rent. Residents can stay for several months or make the house their permanent home.
The project also emphasizes community. Crossley described the concept for the Sinking Spring house as a “Golden Girls style community,” where residents can remain independent while having other people nearby.
Residents will be able to cook for themselves and participate in activities around the property while potentially helping one another with transportation and other needs. The property is also located along a bus route, according to Crossley.
The house will include space where organizations providing case management or other services can meet privately with residents. Crossley said future shared houses could be organized around particular populations, allowing residents with similar experiences or circumstances to build a supportive community.
Alongside Homes of Grace is the Shared Housing Support Foundation. Crossley explained that Homes of Grace owns, renovates and operates the shared housing property, while the nonprofit was established to assist residents living in shared housing, including those outside Homes of Grace properties.
That assistance could include helping someone with a move-in fee, rent or utilities, furnishing a bedroom or addressing other needs that might otherwise prevent someone from obtaining housing.
Crossley and Bare said they hope to eventually replicate the model elsewhere in Berks County, though they described zoning, construction and code requirements as significant obstacles.
Crossley said costs can quickly accumulate before a property is ready for residents, including architectural plans, attorneys, filing fees and improvements such as sprinkler systems and accessibility upgrades. Those expenses can ultimately make it more difficult to keep rents affordable.
“It has been immensely challenging and frustrating,” Crossley said of developing the first property. “It’s very difficult. I think few people would be willing to go through what we’re going through to make a house like this happen.”
Despite those challenges, both said they hope completing the Sinking Spring property will demonstrate how shared housing can work and make it easier to bring the concept to other municipalities.
“We do hope that having this house completed and filled with joyful residents will help that be an example when we go to another borough or township too,” Bare said.
The organizations are also looking for support from the community. Crossley and Bare said contributions can include monetary donations as well as furniture, appliances and construction supplies. Once residents move in, they also envision volunteer opportunities for community members interested in offering activities such as chair yoga, gardening or cooking classes.
More information about Homes of Grace and the Shared Housing Support Foundation is available through the Homes of Grace website and social media pages.
