Supportive Roommate (Live-In Mentor) | Two Featured Matches
If you work in the IDD field, you already know the hardest part is rarely the work itself. It is the caseloads, the turnover, and the models that leave little room to actually know the person you are supporting. Homies is built differently. We are a life-sharing movement that matches high-level mentors with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to build homes grounded in trust, growth, and shared experiences.
This is not a traditional clinical role and it is not a shift you clock in and out of. It is a real home and a real friendship, with your professional skills working quietly underneath.
What This Role Actually Is
You join as an independent contractor, which means you run your own schedule with our team supporting you the whole way. You live with one person and help them build the life they want. You are a housemate first and a friend second, and your training is the foundation that makes both possible. You are not staff in someone's home. You are someone's person. And because you run your own schedule, this can live alongside another job or role. Plenty of Supportive Roommates keep outside work or studies going. What matters is that you protect the time and presence your Homie counts on.
Featured Match Opportunities
We are currently matching for two individuals. Read both and tell us which one you connect with. If you are open to either, say so and we will talk it through with you.
Both matches require a reliable driver with your own vehicle. Neither individual drives, and neither area has usable public transit. This is non-negotiable for both.
Match One: 24-year-old male, Barstow area
Prefers to live in the Barstow area, with Apple Valley as a secondary option.
About him: He is into Resident Evil games and JRPGs, alternative music, and alternative fashion. He draws here and there, enjoys photography and editing, and likes spending time in nature. He has a dog who sleeps a lot and barks at random things. He is reserved by default with unfamiliar people but opens up readily around shared interests, especially gaming, anime and cosplay, and music. He will be starting a class at the local community college.
The Supports:
- Online safety coaching, given his active internet life
- Community integration support, including going to the grocery store and appointments, which he may still struggle to do independently
- Coaching around self-advocacy and in-person social interaction
- Specific safety awareness around financial exploitation, particularly strangers claiming a family connection or asking for money
- Pedestrian and traffic safety refreshers, especially around phone use while walking
- Reliable transportation, as there is no public transit in the relocation area and he does not drive
- Encouragement and structure around his upcoming community college class, including getting to campus and keeping up with coursework
- Cooking instruction, with someone teaching alongside him rather than preparing meals separately
- Steady evening presence, which is the highest-risk window for isolation
- Support building daily structure around school and other routines
- Collaboration with the Homies clinical and operations team
- Consistent behavioral data collection and documentation
The Ideal Mentor: A patient, low-pressure communicator comfortable with a slow warm-up, who responds better with calm open-ended questions than fast rapport-building. Genuine overlap in interests (gaming, anime and cosplay, alternative music or style) so the relationship has real footing rather than just checking a compatibility box. A reliable driver willing to provide regular transportation; non-negotiable given the area. A confident, willing cook who teaches alongside him. Steady and consistent in the evenings, not sporadic. Someone who can be encouraging about school without hovering. Emotionally mature enough to hold a supportive role without sliding into a parent-replacement dynamic; this match carries real weight and needs boundaries as much as warmth.
Match Two: man in his mid-30s, [CITY/AREA] (rural)
He has an established home, so this is a move-in match. The home is rural and still a fixer-upper with ongoing repairs.
About Him: He describes himself as laid back, calm, and quiet most of the time, but he knows how to speak up when he knows what he wants. He has been told most of his life that he is friendly and likable, and he takes pride in being a hard worker, whether that is at his job or around the house. He loves music, movies, video games, art, and recreation, and is drawn to anime and superhero movies. He enjoys participating in activities but also values his alone time. He calls himself a nerd at times, but an honest and true friend, someone you can count on to do his best to make things right for everyone.
The Supports:
- Companionship and consistent presence, which is the core of this match. His isolation is structural, driven by rural location and lack of transportation, not disinterest
- Reliable transportation to his day program, clubhouse, family, and community activities, nearly all 30 to 60 minutes away
- Learning to cook and prepare healthy meals on a budget. He has high cholesterol and is trending toward prediabetes, and wants to build real cooking skills
- Dietary support and appointment coordination around cholesterol and prediabetes management
- Hygiene follow-through support. He has the knowledge and the skills; the gap is in initiation and consistency
- Evening and bedtime safety presence
- Support around follow-through and initiation broadly, rather than teaching skills he already has
- Help finding and creating activities to do together, and building social connections he can sustain
- Collaboration with family and the Homies clinical and operations team
- Consistent behavioral data collection and documentation
The Ideal Mentor: Must have a reliable car; this is non-negotiable given how far everything is from home. Should genuinely share or be open to his interests: anime, superhero movies, video games, and art, since companionship is the heart of this match rather than task support. Comfortable with a mostly introverted, homebody personality while still willing to gently initiate outings rather than waiting to be asked. A confident cook who can teach alongside him and help make budget-friendly, healthier meals feel doable. Prepared for rural, remote living in a home that is still a fixer-upper with ongoing repairs. Able to navigate a conservative, religious family dynamic with sensitivity. Above all, someone who genuinely wants to be a companion, is motivated to help him build and keep connections, and will actively look for or create things for them to do together.
What the Journey Looks Like
We move carefully, because the relationship is the whole point. It starts with a conversation, getting to know you, your lifestyle, and what you are looking for in a home. Every candidate completes a DOJ and FBI background clearance early on, before any introductions. A few of these early steps, like your background clearance, have small upfront costs. We will walk you through the timing so nothing catches you off guard, and we will sort the logistics together.
From there, when we see a strong human fit, we introduce you to the individual and let the relationship grow at its own pace. There is no rush. The relationship moves at its own pace, though a few clearance and paperwork steps are time-sensitive. Getting those back promptly keeps everything on track and gets you home sooner. If a particular match is not right, you stay in our Priority Mentor Pool for future ones.
When you are both ready to move forward, you choose a living arrangement and apply for a home together as co-tenants. Because you are signing a lease alongside the individual, this includes a standard credit check, the same one any landlord runs. Our housing team is with you through it. Then you move in, settle into daily life, and begin with the full backing of the Homies team.
Living Arrangements
The right home is the foundation of a good match. Across our matches, there are three flexible paths:
- Host: Welcome the individual into your current home (must have 2+ bedrooms). Any other adults living in the home must complete the same background clearance.
- Move-In: Relocate into the individual's existing home or apartment.
- Co-Create: Work with us to find a brand-new living space together that suits both of you.
The two matches above sit differently here. Match One is a relocation, so the path is Co-Create or Host. Match Two is a Move-In, since he already has an established home.
If you don't already have a space to welcome someone into, you and your Homie find a new place together and sign the lease as co-tenants. From there, it works like any roommate situation. You each have your own rental budget, your own share of living expenses, and your own moving and deposit costs. What makes it different isn't the logistics, it's the purpose and the backing. You are there to help your roommate live more independently, and neither of you is doing it alone. Our housing team guides you both through finding the right home and the application, but your share of it is yours, just like any roommate.
Why Your Professional Background Matters
We value the specialized training that ABA and IDD professionals bring. We are looking for mentors who lead with empathy over authority and understand that the goal is to empower, not to manage. You are a strong fit if you:
- Practice collaborative humility. You value the individual's autonomy and treat your clinical skills as tools that serve their chosen life.
- Are tech-savvy. You are comfortable using digital platforms for documentation, goal tracking, and timekeeping.
- Are mission-driven. You believe everyone deserves a home life that is vibrant, inclusive, and respectful.
Support and Structure
You are never on your own. You live independently with your housemate, backed by the Homies clinical team. Your role includes a comprehensive, personalized support plan, our dedicated app for documentation and timekeeping, and monthly check-ins with ongoing training to keep growing.
Requirements
- 1+ years supporting individuals with developmental disabilities or behavioral needs (RBT, BCBA, or ABA experience is highly valued)
- Strong communication and the ability to follow clinical support plans
- Comfort with mobile apps and technology
- Valid CA driver's license and reliable transportation
- Currently located in Southern California
- Ability to pass a DOJ and FBI background clearance, and a credit check as part of the housing application
Compensation
- Up to $41,000/year tax-free (stipend-based, equivalent to ~$55,000+ pre-tax)
- Professional growth: access to mentorship, specialized training, and a community of like-minded professionals
Ready to build a life, not just a career?
Apply today and tell us which match speaks to you. Let's find the right person for you to grow with.
Watch a testimonial video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXyjgX63r5c&t=1s
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Contract
Pay: Up to $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
Work Location: In person
