Episode Overview

Episode Title: Why Americans are moving in with strangers twice their age
Podcast: Apple News Today
Date: December 29, 2025
Narrated Article: "Why Americans Are Moving in with Strangers Twice their Age: Spare Bedrooms are America’s Next Housing Market"
Author: Rachel Cohen (Vox)
Narrator: Jamie Lamchik
Main Theme:
This episode explores the rapidly growing trend of intergenerational home sharing in the United States. Faced with housing shortages and shifting demographics, many Americans—particularly older homeowners and younger renters—are turning to arrangements where unrelated individuals share homes, bridging age gaps by decades. The episode covers the practical, social, and policy dimensions of this movement, profiles notable programs and stories, and examines the challenges and promise of this new housing paradigm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Modern Intergenerational Home Sharing

• Denise Poirier’s Story [01:00–03:00]

  • Former Maine teacher, downsizing and newly single, seeks to supplement income after her son moves out.
  • Discovers Nesterly, a platform connecting older homeowners with younger renters for below-market rent in exchange for light chores.
  • Matches with 20-year-old Joseph Anzalone, a student and hotel worker seeking affordable, quieter housing.
  • Arrangement is formalized via Nesterly’s agreement, including specifics around shared spaces and expectations.
  • “I'm a natural worrier about money...with my youngest son moving out, I thought I have a little extra room. I've always liked young people...maybe this could be a good way to supplement my income.” — Denise Poirier [02:00]

• A Growing National Trend

  • The U.S. has over 54 million spare bedrooms, mostly in empty-nest households.
  • Structural housing shortage and the aging population increase the importance of underused spaces.
  • From 2017–2022, 500,000+ more families began sharing homes with non-relatives [03:25].

2. Social and Academic Benefits of Home Sharing

• Combating Social Isolation

  • Seniors report better health and less loneliness when sharing homes.
  • Younger residents, especially disadvantaged students, see academic improvement in mixed-age homes [05:10].
  • “I've seen situations where an 18-year-old kid is good friends with the 73-year-old retired Marine Corps sergeant…and you never would have predicted that, but they've lived together for five to six years.” — Atticus LeBlanc, PadSplit CEO [05:50]

• Mutual Perceptions

  • Advocates insist the model is mutually beneficial and not just about "rescue."
  • “It's really a win-win for everyone. It's not just one generation showing up to serve and rescue another.” — Marcy Albower, Cogenerate [06:15]

3. Historical Roots & Community-Based Innovations

• Origins in the 1970s Gray Panthers Movement

  • Maggie Kuhn pioneers intergenerational shared housing to fight both age discrimination and isolation [07:00].
  • Establishes the National Shared Housing Resource Center in 1980.

• Modern Revivals: Philadelphia’s Second Story Collective

  • Responds to gentrification and rising rents by matching Drexel University students with long-term residents.
  • Secures public and philanthropic funding for renovations and new housing designed for shared use.
  • Includes programs to foster community through arts and storytelling.
  • Received a $1 million National Science Foundation grant to explore nationwide scaling [10:00].
  • “Higher education is in crisis and students and faculty are craving a new way of being more impactful…This offers that while bringing university resources to bear on solutions the neighborhood itself has identified.” — Rachel Wenrich, Drexel [11:30]

4. Obstacles: Technology, Trust, and Regulation

• Sustaining Home Shares

  • Early programs struggled with labor-intensive logistics and handling legalities [14:00].
  • Platforms like Nesterly modernize background checks, contracts, and payments, but tech skills among older homeowners are often lacking.
  • “They need help putting photos on their pages and support to match those folks with renters.” — Savina Falquist, HomeShare Oregon [15:00]

• Issues of Safety and Reluctance

  • Persistent worries about identity theft, scams, and trust deter seniors from participating.
  • “Seniors like the idea of companionship, but…they’re more prone to identity theft and falling for scams…that’s why there’s more fear to participate.” — Alpha Hernandez, Homeless Intervention Services [16:00]

• Cultural Resistance and Zoning Laws

  • Some locales still legally define ‘family’ narrowly, restricting unrelated people from living together.
  • Local opposition often cited as not wanting “affordable housing in their neighborhood.”
  • “The laws are enforced when people want them to be...If you have a neighbor who doesn't want affordable housing in their neighborhood, then you absolutely see an issue with it.” — Atticus LeBlanc, PadSplit [17:15]

5. Policy Shifts and Future Prospects

• Regulatory Progress

  • States like Colorado, Iowa, Oregon, and Washington have relaxed family-based occupancy restrictions.
  • HUD now allows vouchers for shared housing arrangements [18:00].

• Design Innovations

  • Building features (e.g., shared laundry and garden spaces) encourage interaction.
  • Inspired by accessory dwelling unit (ADU) legalization; 80,000 new ADU units in California serve as a housing model.

• International Parallels & Expansion

  • The UK’s "rent a room" tax scheme cited as a promising model for incentivizing home sharing.
  • Broader societal acceptance expected as with ride share services.

6. Personal Stories: Transforming Necessity into Connection

• Tampa, Florida Case Study
  • 61-year-old Quantia Hollowell forms an unexpected family-like bond with Benny, a housemate 20 years younger.
  • “Benny, he loves me and I love him. Every day we hug each other. What started as a practical solution became something neither of them expected.” — Quantia Hollowell [21:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Denise Poirier:
  "I'm a natural worrier about money...maybe this could be a good way to supplement my income." [02:00]

• Joseph Anzalone:
  "We got pretty close. We had fun watching the presidential debate, played debate bingo, and since my family lives in Florida, she invited me to Thanksgiving with hers." [03:10]

• Atticus LeBlanc:
  "I've seen situations where an 18-year-old kid is good friends with the 73-year-old retired Marine Corps sergeant…and you never would have predicted that..." [05:50]
  "The laws are enforced when people want them to be...If you have a neighbor who doesn't want affordable housing in their neighborhood, then you absolutely see an issue with it." [17:15]

• Marcy Albower:
  "It's really a win-win for everyone. It's not just one generation showing up to serve and rescue another." [06:15]

• Rachel Wenrich:
  "Higher education is in crisis and students and faculty are craving a new way of being more impactful." [11:30]

• Savina Falquist:
  "They need help putting photos on their pages and support to match those folks with renters." [15:00]

• Alpha Hernandez:
  "Seniors like the idea of companionship, but…they’re more prone to identity theft and falling for scams…" [16:00]

• Quantia Hollowell:
  "Benny, he loves me and I love him. Every day we hug each other. What started as a practical solution became something neither of them expected." [21:30]

Important Timestamps

• 01:00–03:30 — Introduction to Poirier and Anzalone’s home share arrangement
• 03:30–06:30 — National scope, social, and academic benefits of intergenerational living
• 07:00–12:00 — History of intergenerational home sharing and present-day community innovation
• 14:00–17:30 — Sustaining, modernizing, and the challenges of home sharing (trust, tech, regulation)
• 18:00–19:30 — Policy changes and evolving models for shared housing
• 21:00–22:30 — Real-life transformations: Unexpected bonds and community

Conclusion

This episode presents a comprehensive, nuanced look at the growing phenomenon of intergenerational home sharing in the U.S., examining both deeply personal stories and broad societal shifts. It spotlights the immense potential for shared housing to address economic, social, and emotional needs while clearly outlining the hurdles—cultural, regulatory, and practical—that participants and advocates still face. Through relatable anecdotes and expert insights, the episode exemplifies how what often starts as a matter of necessity can grow into meaningful human connection and community resilience.