Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is expanding student housing options through a new partnership with SpacesShared.
SpacesShared is a home-sharing platform that matches students looking for safe and affordable accommodations with older adults who have spare rooms to rent. This partnership will create new housing options for KPU students close to all five campuses — in Surrey, Richmond and Langley — to address affordable housing challenges within the Lower Mainland.
For hosts, this is an opportunity to earn an extra income with the additional option of students providing assistance around the house in exchange for rental discounts. Home-sharing can also be a source of companionship and community connection.
“KPU’s partnership with SpacesShared will provide our students with greater options for safe and reliable housing near our campuses,” says Zena Mitchell, Vice President, Students at KPU. “Finding affordable student housing can prove challenging and stressful, so we’re pleased this partnership offers an innovative solution that can be beneficial to both our students and their wider communities.”
To ensure the safety of both parties, students and hosts are vetted by the platform through identity verification and criminal background checks.
Within the online platform, students can search for available rooms, view potential matches for compatibility and connect with potential hosts before entering an agreement. SpacesShared is already operating in several provinces across Canada and is now being introduced in B.C.
“We are excited to expand our community building platform that builds connections across generations to British Columbia,” says Rylan Kinnon, CEO of SpacesShared. “With this launch, coming about a year after our launch in Newfoundland and Labrador, we will be supporting Canadian hosts, students and international students from coast to coast.”
Students and hosts interested in signing up for the platform can visit KPU's Housing Resources page or the SpacesShared website for more information.