Strapped homeowners consider boarders

Published: July 16, 2008 at 11:11 AM

NEW YORK, July 16 (UPI) -- Social service agencies that find boarders for financially distressed U.S. homeowners say they're seeing more interest in the programs.

Thanks in part to the growing number of residential mortgage foreclosures, a rising number of homeowners are considering taking in boarders to keep their homes, The New York Times reported Wednesday. They sometimes turn to agencies that screen boarders to help overcome a fear of strangers.

Before the housing crisis, it was mainly elderly or disabled people looking for boarders to provide help around the house. But that's changing, one agency official said.

"Historically, the people who come to us have been looking for someone to provide services in the home," Kirby Dunn, executive director of HomeShare Vermont, told the Times. "But now, money is the bigger issue for folks. There's definitely an increase in people looking for a revenue stream."

Another program, St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center of Baltimore, says it conducts background checks on prospective boarders and the homeowner, eliminating those with criminal records or histories of drug or alcohol abuse. It uses a 10-point questionnaire on feelings about pets, smoking, overnight guests and other points of compatibility, the newspaper said.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Watercooler Stories (19 min)
Jockstrip: The world as we know it. (49 min)
Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
Holidays make alcohol available to teens
COL BKB: California 79, Jacksonville 47
Alzheimer's need not end driving
fark
You know that guy who spent 23 years in a coma but aware of everything going on? Even money says...
Police searching for the grinch or grinches who crushed a gingerbread town containing 650 gingerbread...
Lovers reportedly have sex in clock tower in broad daylight - of course that's only second hand
Irish turn their annual Christmas lighting ceremony into a drunken riot. Once again
Musician appeals for return of stolen tiki. The curse never ends, Greg
Ten tips to ease the hassles of holiday flying. 'Staying home' conspicuously absent