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# Low rent, free wisdom
- URL: https://www.redeyebr.com/low-rent-free-wisdom/
- Published: 2026-10-05T00:07:55.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-05T00:07:55.000Z
- Description: A Boston program pairs older adults with younger people seeking affordable housing.
- Author: Mukul Verma
- Tags: Last Call

Baton Rouge has plenty of two things: LSU and Southern students looking for housing, and older homeowners living alone in houses with empty bedrooms. What if we introduced them?

Boston tried it. The city's Housing Innovation Lab partnered with [Nesterly](https://www.nesterly.com/?ref=redeyebr.com), a home-sharing service, to match older adults who had spare rooms with younger people looking for an affordable place to live. Interest came fast: more than 80 people applied in three weeks, according to the [Boston's Intergenerational Homeshare](https://www.boston.gov/departments/new-urban-mechanics/housing-innovation-lab/intergenerational-homeshare-pilot?ref=redeyebr.com) program. 

The pilot made eight matches in Boston and nearby cities, with no problems reported. Rent averaged $700 a month. Eighty-nine percent of participants said they would recommend it.

Housemates helped each other with everyday tasks, and older residents who had been living alone gained a new connection in their community. 

Eight matches is a small start. But the idea is simple: pair an empty room with someone who needs one, add some careful screening and a clear agreement, and both people come out ahead.

Could it work in Baton Rouge? Neighborhoods around both campuses are full of longtime residents. Some could use extra income or a hand with groceries and yard work. Some would just like company at dinner. And students might trade a few chores for lower rent and gain some wisdom from their older roommates.

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