Housing Advisory Board hosts panel on shared housing models and community-based matches

A panel convened by the Boulder Housing Advisory Board on March 26 gathered representatives from nonprofits and the real estate sector to discuss “sharing housing” as a way to better use existing housing stock and expand affordable living options.

Panelists described a range of shared-housing approaches — from homemate selection and online matching platforms to cooperative rental houses and co‑buying — and said each approach can help people reduce housing costs, gain day‑to‑day support and reduce environmental impacts.

The panel was led by Philip (Housing Advisory Board member), who framed the session by asking whether Boulder is “full” or whether the city has housing that is simply underutilized. “There is actually plenty of housing. It’s just very poorly distributed,” Philip said while introducing the panelists and data trends he cited about increasing numbers of empty bedrooms nationally.

Anna Marie Pluhar, president of Sharing Housing Inc., said her nonprofit focuses on teaching people how to select compatible housemates — which she calls “homemates” — and on reducing the stigma attached to…