Beyond student digs: a new vision for shared living
House-sharing is no longer just for students. The Government of the Canary Islands is shaping a new model of cohabitation designed to unite two generations with distinct yet complementary needs: young people who cannot access housing and older adults seeking companionship to combat the growing issue of unwanted loneliness. Known as intergenerational housing, this initiative seeks to create shared homes where the focus is less on splitting bills and more on sharing experiences and mutual support, transforming the concept of a flatshare into a commitment to solidarity and care across generations.
A tested concept with local potential
This idea is not new; in fact, many regions across Spain already have intergenerational living programs in operation. The practice is also common in various European territories, such as France. “This is not a solution to the Islands’ structural problems, but it is an alternative and a way to tackle the impossibility for many young people to access housing, as well as a phenomenon like unwanted loneliness, which is becoming increasingly acute among our elders,” comments Itahisa Hernández, a member of the 2030 Agenda team of the IRLab of the Government of the Canaries, who is coordinating the project.
Addressing a demographic shift
According to the latest data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), 17% of the Canary Islands’ population is over 65 years old. By province, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the most aged with 18.7%, compared to Las Palmas with 17%. This figure is expected to reach 20% in the coming years with the retirement and growth of the baby boom generation, the largest population group in the country.
Expert partners and legal frameworks
Although led by the regional government, the project will be executed by Provivienda, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes social housing programs and manages over 10,000 accommodations for people with difficulties accessing housing, whether protected or on the open market. “The main reason for working through Provivienda is because they already have experience at a national level and because they already have housing resources where the beginning of this pilot project can be carried out,” notes Hernández.
There’s another crucial reason. Spain currently lacks a legal framework that regulates room rentals, unlike other European countries. “The contract is very complicated, so it will be a horizontal relationship between the participants, where both are holders of a lease agreement,” clarifies Hernández.
The pilot launch on Gran Canaria
For now, the trial will begin this year solely on Gran Canaria, where the NGO has the most homes and where there are already profiles putting themselves forward to bring the idea to life. “A mapping exercise has been carried out, identifying people who are willing to participate and, of course, who are in a position to want to share a house with an older person,” comments Hernández.
The seniors will be over 65 years of age (the ‘third age’) but not more than 80 (the ‘fourth age’), to avoid issues of dependency or complexities that can be inherent to more advanced age. As for the young people, they will be under 35 years old, either studying, working, or both, and will pay rent for the housing as well as the associated costs of cohabitation. In fact, they are going a step further; Hernández adds that “the initial idea is to also start with people who have already shared a flat and know how it works.”
Preparation for a successful match
The beginning of the project is a critical part, and for this reason, both seniors and young people will receive training through prior workshops in conflict resolution, tolerance, and cohabitation. “The age difference, mentality, or lack of knowledge about each other’s ways of living must be polished for a project that, if positive, will help both parties,” added Hernández.
Ongoing support for long-term success
During the time the two generations live together, they will have a support team to guarantee the compatibility of the people involved and to help, if necessary, resolve any conflicts that may arise. “We don’t want this idea to fall on deaf ears; we want it to last over time and have long continuity, also to be able to truly analyze how the experience develops,” assures Hernández.
This long-term vision is another reason the project is starting on the island of Gran Canaria and, for now, with only a few people. The coordinator emphasizes that success will depend on an impact evaluation that will be carried out during the process and “will mark the results, indicate things to improve, where we are failing, or what we need to move forward.” It will be at that point, she clarifies, that this project will begin to grow and become extendable to other islands.
