Hosts are ordinary Americans with an extraordinary vision to welcome others.

Hosting can be as simple as opening up a single guest room with a shared bath for someone to use or by providing an in-law suite for an extended period. Some guests only need a place for a few days. Others, such as international students, are looking for monthly or semester housing. When welcoming international students, the initial language barrier can be a challenge for some hosts. However, hosts can always decline an opportunity depending on their comfort level. In the application process, hosts define the type of hospitality they are interested in offering, and we will work hard to match them with the appropriate guests.

We are committed to:

  • Extending a warm welcome to each person. Acknowledging their inherent dignity as a person and respecting their cultural and religious backgrounds.

  • Offering guests clean and comfortable guest rooms

  • Using creativity to spark meaningful moments for guests

  • Valuing people over profit

Cleveland, Ohio

Although our network of homes includes hosts in many communities, we are particularly eager to find hosts with reasonable public transport times to top destinations such as downtown Cleveland and University Circle.

Some of the most sought-after locations include:

  • Cleveland Heights

  • University Heights

  • Cleveland proper

  • Lakewood

  • And other neighborhoods with direct bus lines to schools and hospitals

 

We want every host to embody the spirit of generosity. Even when our guests pay rent, at our core, we always want to value people over profit.

Compensation

Each host is asked to offer at least four days of accommodation at no charge. If the guest desires to stay longer, a reasonable fee is determined by the individual host. We are happy to offer suggestions on reasonable fees based on the individual space, location, and what is provided. For example, some hosts offer to provide 14 meals a week (breakfast food and dinner), while other hosts provide none. Furthermore, some homes are located on direct bus lines to key areas of the city which increases the desirability of the homestay.

Becoming a host

Those interested in hosting are asked to complete an application that includes two references. After reviewing this information, potential hosts will be contacted for a home visit and a brief orientation. A background check is ordered. Once this process is complete, a household becomes eligible to host and will be contacted with housing requests that are suitable for them.

 FAQs

  • The majority of requests we receive are from international students studying English as a second language at Cleveland State or ELS at Case Western Reserve University. They are often between 18 and 30 years old.

  • We work hard to ensure each host and guest are comfortable with one another. Generally, women are placed with women and men with men. Families may choose to host guests of a specific gender depending on what works best for their family.

  • The requests for rooms vary from month to month. Some hosts may be connected with a guest immediately. Others may wait for a period of time. Others may be willing to host, but are never selected as a host due to a variety of factors including their location. We will do our best to keep potential hosts informed of the current interest in guest rooms.

  • Many guests stay between 2 months and one year. Others stay for a matter of days.

  • Hosts and guests have the freedom to end the stay at any time. Generally, we ask for as much notice as possible.