Brenda Atchison's home in the Boston suburb of Roxbury has been in her family since 1946, and she's lived there for nearly her entire life. At 66 years old, she's an empty nester–she describes her house as rooms that are collecting dust. But expenses are rising and her ability to earn is dwindling. She knew she wanted to stay in her home, but she wasn't sure how to host someone to bring in some extra cash.

Then she heard of Nesterly. The brainchild of Noelle Marcus and Rachel Goor, two recent graduates of MIT's masters program in urban planning, it's a simple enough idea: You match younger people who need affordable housing with older adults who charge affordable prices–including help around the house–for the extra rooms of their homes.