07/24/2026
The City and County of Broomfield is proud to help fund the Senior Sunshine Home Sharing Program. The program helps seniors rent out rooms in their homes to individuals seeking affordable housing, creating lasting connections. Learn more at Broomfield.org/HousingPrograms.
Meet a Match!
Jenlyn (80) and Larry (70) have been living in their home in Broomfield for 30+ years. Meeting in a local therapy pool, they later moved to Broomfield for the affordability. They were successfully aging in their home with the support of quality city/county programs, but they still faced challenges. Larry, mainly wheelchair bound, found difficulty helping with the dishes, Jenlyn, found leaning at the sink and twisting, reaching up and down to the dishwasher aggravated her back. They found their dishes were piling up and small tasks, like carrying a 25 lb box of cat litter to the basement, were a strain. They were referred to Sunshine Home Share Colorado from a Broomfield City and County care manager, hoping to connect them with a resource to support them age in place.
Laura’s (40) previous job in property management provided housing. When that company decided to sell the property she needed to find housing quickly. She heard about home sharing through local resources and felt like it could be a great fit for her. Laura previously home shared with a friend's aging parents and had positive experiences living with people older than herself and supporting them in the home. Laura was also in a career transition, leaving property management and pursuing her Master of Social Work. She needed an affordable place to live and was hopeful when she heard of home sharing.
Jenlyn, Larry, and Laura were connected through a Sunshine social worker, first meeting in mid-November 2025. They immediately hit it off, Jenlyn and Larry inviting Laura over for Thanksgiving to share the holiday with them as they continued to get to know each other. In mid-December they started a 1 week Trial Match (where Laura moved in temporarily, at no charge, to try it out), the Trial Match confirmed it really was a great home share fit for everyone. Laura officially moved-in in early January 2026. Sunshine’s social worker supported them to complete a Home Share Agreement, outlining all the expectations for their home share, including Laura’s reduced rent in exchange for doing the dishes.
Now living together for almost 2 months, they’ve found a rhythm. Jenlyn told Sunshine “I think it’s going exceptionally well” noting that “it just keeps getting to be that we know each other more and more, we’ve got good things to talk and laugh about and our personalities and values are well meshed”. Larry has noted that the service exchange support that Laura was completing was immensely helpful, telling Sunshine "it's so much nicer to have the dishes not piling up and up". Larry discussed how new he was to having a roommate, “I’m 70 years old and this if the first real roommate I’ve ever had. It’s been a real positive for me. We have our own lives, but pretty much every day we see each other- but I don’t feel like I have to give up my life to have a roommate”.
Since moving in with Jenlyn and Larry, Laura now has started her career transition, working as a caregiver for a local caregiving agency and pursuing her Master of Social Work. Living with Jenlyn and Larry has given her reduced housing expenses and more flexibility in her budget. She said of Jenlyn and Larry “They are fabulous, nice, and kind people; I'm so grateful this has worked out the way it has".
Sunshine is excited to continue to support Jenlyn, Larry, and Laura home share together well. They will be assigned a volunteer to check in quarterly for the first year and are only a phone call away to help support the challenges or joys that come along their home share journey.
Happy Home Sharing, Jenlyn, Larry, and Laura! 🏡🥰☀❤
