On a crisp winter afternoon, Heather Caufield moves between canvases in Kate McGloughlin’s studio, tidying supplies and preparing for the next art session. Just outside, her partner, Matt, stacks firewood near the small cottage they now call home. The arrangement, a blend of affordable housing and mutual support, was made possible through HomeShare Ulster County—formerly known as HomeShare Woodstock.

The home-sharing program, originally launched in Woodstock in 2019, has steadily grown, connecting homeowners with extra space to local workers, students, and artists in need of affordable housing. With an expanding network and increasing demand, the program recently rebranded to HomeShare Ulster County, reflecting its reach beyond Woodstock into the broader county, including a new initiative in Kingston.

“We knew that we had to grow,” said Janice LaMotta, program director. “The demand for affordable housing is countywide, and we’re seeing more homeowners willing to share space to help address the crisis.”

Caufield, 35, an artist and the artistic director at the Woodstock School of Art, credits the program with allowing her to stay in Woodstock. She initially struggled to find affordable housing after relocating from the Adirondacks. Through HomeShare, she was connected with McGloughlin, a lifelong Ulster County resident who had a vacant cottage on her property.

“It’s a perfect fit,” McGloughlin said. “Heather helps in my studio, Matt does some outdoor work, and they get an affordable place to live. We feel like we couldn’t get along without them now.”

The program is part of FAMILY of Woodstock, a nonprofit providing a broad range of social services to individuals and families in need, with HomeShare Ulster County now covering two main areas:

• Woodstock Region: Serving Woodstock, Saugerties, Olive, Hurley, Shandaken, and Ulster.
• Kingston Region: Serving the City of Kingston, with applications now open.

The initiative carefully vets all participants, conducting interviews, reference checks, and trial stays before finalizing matches. There are currently 10 active home-sharing arrangements benefiting 23 people, ranging from a young Bard College student to an older woman in her 80s

HomeShare Ulster County traces its origins back to 2019, when the Town of Woodstock Housing Committee identified home sharing as a promising solution to address housing needs quickly. Susan Goldman, then co-chair of the committee, worked alongside Deputy Supervisor Maria Elena Conte to bring the initiative to life.

“We saw home sharing as a way to help seniors remain in their homes and, at the same time, provide affordable rental situations for local workers, students and senior renters” Goldman said. “But we also knew it would take a few years for the idea to gain traction.”

With initial funding secured through the New York State Office for the Aging, the town sought an organization to implement the program. Family of Woodstock, under the leadership of Michael Berg, stepped in to launch HomeShare, making it the first home-sharing program in New York State outside of New York City. Since then, it has steadily grown, gaining trust within the community.

“Home sharing isn’t for everyone,” Goldman added, “but for those open to it, it can be life-changing. Home sharing can’t solve our housing crisis, but we can make progress if people open to the possibilities.

For McGloughlin, the arrangement has been more than just practical—it’s strengthened her sense of community.

“It’s just really nice to have people around who care about the place as much as we do,” she said.

Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.