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Sometimes, seniors and university students make the best roomies.
As in roommates together in the same house or apartment.
In some ways it seems radical -- unrelated old age pensioner and second-year engineering student living together.
But in other ways it makes perfect sense.
Seniors who have their own house or apartment may be lonely and want to age in place.
A student roommate can help on both fronts as well as benefit from having stable, affordable accommodation.
"Intergenerational living is the basis of Happipad," said the company's community manager Amanda Aube.
"If a senior with a spare bedroom can be matched with a student or younger worker then they both benefit."
Kelowna-based Happipad is the housing platform that makes such matches possible.
Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation thinks senior-student cohabitation is a great idea too and had granted Happipad $250,000 to expand Western Canada wide.
To do that, Happipad is partnering with 18 seniors organizations to use their networks to create more matches.
Some of the partner groups include the Kelowna Seniors Outreach Centre, OneSky Community Resources in Penticton and Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre in Oliver.
"Happipad is excited to take the next steps towards building a Canadian ecosystem around companion housing," said CEO Cailan Libby.
"Companion housing not only provides a form of housing that is affordable, but it also promotes social connectedness and environmental sustainability. Our mission is to make companion housing safe, convenient and accessible."
Libby is a UBC Okanagan graduate who partnered with UBC Okanagan engineering professor Kenneth Chau to create Happipad because they saw the need to help students find affordable housing with a twist.
Both 'hosts', seniors with a house or apartment, and 'guests', students looking for an affordable room, can register at Happipad.com.
Both hosts and guests are vetted by Happipad with a background check and matches are suggested.
Hosts and guests who decide to live together sign a contract designed by Happipad, the host pays a start-up fee of $50 and the guest pays 5% more in rent as a levy to Happipad.
Happipad also markets its service through universities, Facebook, Instagram and accommodation listing sites.
The company is also getting into matching hosts of all demographics with roommates of all demographics.
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