Home Match is a 100% free home-share program that connects homeowners with extra space with locals looking for affordable housing. We do not just fill empty rooms—we match you based on shared interests, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
Homeowners can age in place with extra income and a renewed sense of community.
Local workers, retirees, and students can find an affordable, welcoming place to call home.
Finding affordable housing in California is challenging.
Maintaining a home with unused rooms can feel overwhelming.
But what if the solution is already built?
We are not an algorithm. Our local staff ensures you always have 100% final choice over who you live with.
Through our home-sharing program, we connect community members who have a room to share with locals looking for a place to live.
Turn an empty room into monthly income, optional help around the house, and meaningful companionship.
If you have a spare room or ADU, consider opening your doors to a vetted community member. It is a smart way to age in place comfortably while providing a housing option for someone facing today’s challenging market.
Find affordable rent, live closer to work, school, or your chosen community and share a home where your lifestyle and interests align.
Skip the endless rental hunt. Whether you are a student, a local professional, or on a fixed income, Home Match connects you with vetted home providers across the Bay Area.
Start by telling us about yourself, your home, and your lifestyle preferences. We use this information to understand exactly what you are looking for in a living arrangement.
Every participant undergoes a thorough screening. This includes mandatory background checks, and income verification.
We make thoughtful introductions based on shared interests and daily routines. You always have 100% final choice over who you decide to live with.
Once you find the right fit, we facilitate a custom Living Together Agreement that sets clear expectations. Even after move-in day, our staff remains available for ongoing support and mediation.
Looking for a home share program in California? One application connects you to housing opportunities across all 5 of these Bay Area counties!
Executive Director
With over three decades of experience managing, streamlining and enhancing operations, including extensive experience in hospitality and facilities management—Sheila provides strategic leadership and executive oversight to the Home Match program. Her expertise in creating welcoming, safe and well-maintained environments guides her team in delivering shared housing solutions that center on trust, stability and connectedness. Sheila excels at addressing complex challenges and empowering her team to implement innovative approaches that advance organizational goals, such as creating sustainable housing alternatives rooted in empathy and inclusion. She joined Front Porch over ten years ago to pursue her passion for serving older adults, and as Executive Director of Home Match she is guided by the belief that everyone deserves a place to call home. Outside of work, she enjoys the outdoors, reading and spending time with family, especially her grandchildren!
Director of Operations
Lucie received a BA in International Relations from San Francisco State University and a Master of International Forestry with a focus on community forest management from the University of British Columbia. She has 14 years of experience working for non-profits in diverse environments, and a passion for engaging with the public via varied mediums. Though Lucie’s studies and career have been diverse, they have all been grounded in service to and strengthening of communities. In her down time Lucie enjoys walking in the woods, spending quality time with friends, and exploring philosophy across disciplines.
Languages: English, German
Program Director, Home Match Marin County
Joseph Shumake completed his BA in Interdisciplinary Studies at California Institute of Integral Studies where he focused on the connection between art and psychological and social health. Joseph has spent the past 15 years working in community services in a variety of fields including teaching, facilitating trauma informed victim impact groups for incarcerated individuals, working as a case manager for unhoused youth and later managing a Transitional Living Program for TAY (Transitional Age Youth) youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to his work in community services, Joseph has maintained a steadfast commitment to his creative practice, song writing, through the years. He recently moved to Santa Rosa with his wife and newborn. He likes to spend his free time making music, building and riding custom motorcycles, and enjoying the outdoors.
Program Director, Home Match Alameda County
Originally from Oakland, Rachel lived in Los Angeles working in the music industry, from being a personal artist manager, to record label owner, to VP at Disney, launching their pop label Hollywood Records. After 25 years, she felt a new calling in life: working with seniors. First, she was a Program Director at Rebuilding Together Oakland, then for St. Vincent DePaul, and on to Director of Acting Living and Transportation at Lake Park Senior Community. Finally, she has landed at Home Match! She recently moved to San Leandro, and likes spending her time on long walks with her dogs, and considers herself a voracious reader and experiential cook.
Program Director, Home Match Contra Costa County
Logan completed her BA in Psychology from San Francisco State University and her MBA in Organizational Leadership from University of California-Davis. She has over 10 years of experience working with diverse populations through social work and non-profits. Logan finds motivation and drive through the ability to help individuals in the county she grew up in—Contra Costa County. In her free time Logan enjoys spending time with her two dogs and her family as well as doing anything creative from crafts to singing.
Languages: English, Spanish
Program Director, Home Match San Francisco
Andrea brings a unique blend of personal passion and professional expertise to her role at Home Match. Her advocacy work began when her father became disabled and unhoused at age 60, leading her to navigate complex systems to secure support. That experience fueled her commitment to preventing homelessness among older adults and people with disabilities.
With a background in real estate operations and senior home care management, Andrea helps streamline housing solutions for program participants. Outside of work, she enjoys biking in Golden Gate Park, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Program Director, Home Match Santa Clara County
Elyse Malcolm brings more than two decades of experience in the behavioral health and community impact sectors dedicated to serving the residents of Santa Clara County. Throughout her career, she has helped develop and launch multiple community-based programs that have provided critical mental health crisis services to tens of thousands of community members. Elyse specializes in person-centered services, with a strong emphasis on advocacy, relationship building, and long-term engagement. A Bay Area native, she is deeply committed to serving and uplifting the community that shaped her. Whether through data-driven outreach, marketing initiatives, or collaborative partnerships, she is passionate about promoting dignity, autonomy, and equitable access to resources for all.
Elyse joined Home Match to continue her lifelong commitment to advocacy by fostering meaningful connections between people. Inspired by the stories of those she meets along the way, she is dedicated to encouraging others to support Home Match’s shared mission of building stronger, more connected communities. In her free time, Elyse enjoys spending time with her family, designing floral arrangements and exploring nature along California’s beautiful rolling hills and coastline.
Home-sharing isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. Our support staff goes to great lengths to make the best match every time. We think we’ve got it down to a science, but don’t take our word for it. Read our story in the press.
“S.F. plays roommate matchmaker to prevent homelessness.”
“A win-win? Free service links up older homeowners…”
Don’t just take our word for it. See what the press is saying about our community impact.
Home Match benefits everyone. It decreases isolation, provides housing security, and above all, builds community.
Home Match is offered at no cost to all participants, as Front Porch receives funding from private foundations, government contracts, corporate sponsorships, and contributes significant financial resources to the program through the Front Porch Communities Foundation.
A task exchange is an optional arrangement, requested by the home provider, where a home seeker helps with activities like errands or gardening for reduced rent. They cannot include caregiving activities.
Each participant needs to fill out an application, provide a photo ID, partake in an intake appointment, and do a background check. Home seekers and master tenants must verify income.
No. The background check searches for criminal history, bankruptcies, liens, judgements, and evictions.
Because matches are based on compatibility rather than a waitlist, timing is highly variable.
Home Match offers a template specific to home-sharing called a Living Together Agreement (LTA), which includes Terms & Conditions and agreements on shared space.
Yes. We comply with local, state, and federal housing laws and refer participants to appropriate legal resources when questions arise. Home Match works with participants to mitigate the risk of legal issues through vetting, personalized matching, and ongoing support, including mediation services.
Reach out to our local support staff to discuss your specific situation.
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