1. Finding and Keeping a Roommate A Multi-Agency Collaboration Metropolitan Center for Independent Living Presented by Winna Bernard, Washington County ARC Housing Conference November 24 th 2015

2. Metropolitan Center for Independent Living will be offering a class called “How to find and keep a Roommate” This class is free. First class is November 18 th 10 am-12 noon Offered at MCIL, near light rail and bus routes. Anyone with a disability looking for a roommate is welcome

3. Plan for the Day How to find a roommate Benefits of having a roommate How to be a good roommate Roommate profile

4. Who can be a Roommate? Friends Family Co-workers Class Mates Ask family and friends if they know anyone looking for a roommate * a roommate does not have to be the same age, have the same disability, etc as you do!

5. What if I don’t Know Anyone who could be my Roommate? Hang flyers At coffee shops, libraries, church or places that you like to go Roommate finding websites and services Such as: Roommates.com, Hennepin county roommate match, roommate finding events Craigslist Craigslist is an option, but you must practice caution and safety when searching. Use a Craig list “buddy system”

6. Safety When Looking for Roommates Interview Roommate Candidates Always meet in person before offering contract Meet in a public Space Always have a friend or family member come with you to the interview Have a list of questions ready (ie. Roommate profile)

7. Roommate Profile Fill out Roommate Profile- be honest Ask potential roommates to fill out to profile Update profile when necessary

8. Safety When Looking for Roommates Don’t give away too many details when placing an Ad or a Flyer Items to avoid in advertisement: Full Name, Personal Email Address, Full Address of Property Items to include in advertisement Temporary email address, First name, your interests or personality, neighborhood, city

9. Safety When Looking for Roommates Be upfront with roommate candidates Things to talk about with potential roommates Learn about similarities and differences Backgrounds and History Rules about locking doors, whether or not you will be sharing a room, rules on hosting guests, comfort with usage of drugs, alcohol or cigarettes.

10. Safety When Looking for Roommates Trust your instincts If you feel uncomfortable when meeting or if you are hesitant, it is probably best you do not accept this person as a roommate

12. Benefits of Having a Roommate Financial Having a roommate saves you money on rent, utilities and household supplies. Social A roommate is a great way to expand your social circle. Work Load Split up household chores! Experiential Help you learn how to communicate with the people in your life.

13. Average Cost of Market Rate Housing in Twin Cities/Metro Studio1 Bedroom2 Bedroom 1 BR With Roommate 2 BR With Roommate Minneapolis $757$1022$1355$511$677 St. Paul $749$994$1288$497$644 Minneapolis: Save $246 in 1 bedroom with roommate vs. Studio. Save $80 in 2 bedroom with roommate vs. Studio St. Paul: 1 bedroom with roommate is $252 cheaper than a studio. 2 bedroom with roommate is $105 cheaper Studio1 Bedroom2 Bedroom1 BR With Roommate 2 BR With Roommate Minneapolis St. Paul $757 $749 $1022 $994 $1355 $1288 $511 $497 $677 $644

14. Studio1 Bedroom2 Bedroom 1 BR With Roommate 2 BR With Roommate Dakota County $649$830$1010$415$505 Anoka County $712$794$1291$397$645 Washington County $688$885$1070$443 $535 Carver County $591$878$1193$439$596 Scott County $660$820$1024$410$512 Dakota County: Save $234 in 1br with roommate. Save $144 in 2br with roommate Anoka County: Save $315 in 1br with roommate. Save $58 in 2br with roommate Washington County: Save $245 in 1br with roommate. Save $153 in 2br with roommate Carver County: Save $152 in 1br with roommate. Same in 2br with roommate. Scott County: Save $250 in 1br with roommate. Save $148 in 2br with roommate Studio1 Bedroom2 Bedroom1 BR With Roommate 2 BR With Roommate Dakota County $649$830$1010$415$505 Anoka County $712$794$1291$397$645 Washington County $688$885$1070$443$535 Carver County $591$878$1193$439$596 Scott County $660$820$1024$410$512

15. Average Savings You can save an average of $114 if you choose to have a roommate in a 2br apartment That’s $1,368 in 12 months You can save an average of $242 if you choose to have a roommate in a 1br apartment That’s 2,904 in 12 months

16. What would you do with an extra $2,000?

17. You could do something fun!! Buy tickets to your favorite bands concert Go out to eat at a nice restaurant Buy a new TV Go to the movies Buy those new shoes you’ve had your eye on Take some of the money that you save every month by having a roommate and do something fun with it!

18. You could do something Responsible Roommates don’t have to be forever – Use the money you save in a year by having a roommate and use it for the security deposit on your next apartment! Pay off Debt Fix your car Start a Savings account – 2000 dollars is a great start to a really healthy savings account – it can act as a safety net for emergencies It may be tempting to spend all the extra money, but saving that extra cash can be easy when you think about how it may benefit your future.

19. A Roommate is a Social Connection A roommate is someone who can be a friend or acquaintance They can help you meet people They will be around when you don’t want to be home alone

20. A Roommate Reduces your Work Load Help you do chores around the house Help you with cost of household supplies Cleaning products, toilet paper etc. Sometimes you can even share food with roommates With the right roommate, you can take turns buying food or cooking meals. This might take a lot of openness and communication

21. Having a Roommate is Great Experience Learn how to communicate with others in a very effective way Having a roommate means communicating concerns, when bills are due, whose turn it is to take out the trash Learn how to advocate for yourself You will be able to learn to express your needs and wants to another person Learn how to get along with others, even if you don’t agree with them No one agrees with one another all of the time. A roommate is great practice for learning to have respectful conversations with people you may not agree with 100%

22. How to be a Great Roommate Communication Compromise Respect Responsibility

23. Communication Recognize that if a roommate is bothering you, they probably aren’t doing it on purpose Do not let problems fester – be upfront and direct with the other person about what is bothering you Address any issues you have politely and respectfully Make sure you are patient and listen to what they have to say as well

24. Compromise Compromise does not mean sacrifice It’s important to find solutions that work for both of you so that everyone can live comfortably Some areas to compromise on: when to entertain guests, cleaning responsibilities, when to use facilities such as the shower, how to decorate

25. Respect Mutual respect is key and will lead to a healthy roommate relationship Respect the other person’s need for space and privacy at times This can be difficult in a small apartment

26. Responsibility It’s important to share the responsibilities of living in an apartment with the other person Make sure both parties are cleaning up after themselves, sharing the cost of expenses, etc

27. Roommate Profile This is a great tool for identifying someone with similar interests and a schedule that works with your own

28. *Things to Remember* Having a roommate is very common Caregiver Living Expense-waiver option http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_C ONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id _002430# http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_C ONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id _002430#

29. Tim and Dan’s experience Finding and Keeping a Roommate Introduction Tim shares about his roommate experiences Dan shares about his roommate experiences Questions?