OregonServes Selected for Pilot to Bring Affordable Housing Options to AmeriCorps Members
New Homesharing Resource Center matches AmeriCorps members with area hosts to provide access to more affordable housing options
Salem, OR — OregonServes, the state service commission in Oregon, has joined two other states in a pilot project to promote a new homesharing resource center aimed to connect AmeriCorps members to affordable housing options. OregonServes, housed in the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, administers the state’s AmeriCorps program. America’s Service Commissions—the national association representing the nation’s 52 state service commissions such as OregonServes—is partnering with Silvernest, an online homesharing platform, to bring more affordable housing options to AmeriCorps members serving in Oregon.
Through Silvernest, AmeriCorps members serving in Oregon can match with hosts renting out space in their homes, often at a discounted rate. The goal is to provide AmeriCorps members with affordable and appropriate accommodations near their service placement, while hosts benefit from the extra income and the ability to meaningfully contribute to the success of local programs. Hosts with space to share can create a profile and a listing by visiting the Homesharing Resource Center with details on their available space, and AmeriCorps members will be matched with them based on location, compatibility, and other factors. Interested AmeriCorps Members and hosts can sign up for the new service at: https://info.silvernest.com/americorps.
AmeriCorps members typically volunteer for 10–12-month positions to engage in programs that tackle critical issues, such as poverty, the environment and education. For their service, members earn a modest living stipend and an education award that they can use to pay off student loans or continue their education. Last year, over 3,300 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers served at over 400 locations across Oregon.
“We are very excited to be able to be a part of this project,” said Carie Bauer, Director of OregonServes. “High costs and limited housing options can be a barrier to service for those seeking to serve in Oregon AmeriCorps programs. We hope that this homesharing platform can have a positive impact on members’ ability to find affordable housing so that they can successfully serve in local communities across Oregon.”
“Working collaboratively, we hope to broaden the adoption of homesharing in Oregon and enable members to make an even bigger impact on local issues,” said Amy Ford, vice president of strategic partnerships and business development for Silvernest. “There just isn’t enough rental inventory on the market in Oregon, and it’s not going to be built overnight, so this is one viable solution to put housing within reach. When the community comes together to solve local challenges, everyone wins.”
About America’s Service Commissions
America’s Service Commissions is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing and promoting the 52 state service commissions across the United States and territories with the mission to lead and elevate the state service network. State service commissions are governor-appointed public entities or nonprofit organizations made up of more than 1,000 commissioners, private citizens leading the nation’s service movement and administering more than 75 percent of the federal AmeriCorps funds to address pressing community needs. Learn more at statecommissions.org.
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