CHICAGO: An unorthodox answer to the affordable housing crisis is seeing low income singles offered rent-free homes with senior citizens, provided they help them with daily chores.
The program aims to keep people out of skilled nursing homes and living independently while also easing the city’s rental crush.
The scheme, which will be aimed at uni students and low income earners, will see applicants undergo security checks before being matched with a senior or person living with a disability.
They then enter agreements where they receive free rental with a homeowner senior citizen in exchange for 10 hours of household duties a week, such as house cleaning, gardening, shopping, cooking or dog walking…