About Homestead
Real people. Real places. Stronger communities.
Homestead is an independently developed app for neighbourhoods. It exists for one reason: to help people feel more connected to the place they live and the people they share it with.
Why it matters
The people who live around us are some of the most useful, interesting and reassuring people we could know, and often the ones we know least.
Knowing your neighbours makes everyday life easier. Someone to take in a parcel, recommend a decent mechanic or keep an eye on the house while you’re away. It also makes a place feel like home: friendlier streets, more people at the summer fair, and someone to check on the older couple at number twelve when the weather turns.
Why Homestead exists
Most of the places we talk online aren’t built for neighbourhoods. Big social networks are designed for reaching as many people as possible, and local conversations get lost among adverts, strangers and arguments. Community pages are useful, but they’re rarely about getting to know the people behind the posts.
Homestead takes a different approach. Everyone you meet lives in your community. You can see who’s around, what they’re into and how they might help, and you can join in the conversations and groups that matter locally, without your home address ever being on show.
What we’re working towards
Our three principles say it simply:
- Know. Know who lives around you and what you have in common.
- Connect. Turn those names into conversations, groups and friendships.
- Have a say. Take part in the conversations that shape where you live.
If Homestead does its job, more people will feel they belong where they live, and communities will be a little stronger for it.
Why Swinton first
A neighbourhood app only works when your neighbours are on it too. So rather than launching everywhere at once and hoping, we’re starting with a single community: Swinton, in South Yorkshire.
Starting in one place lets us get to know the people using Homestead, hear what works and what doesn’t, and make it better before we grow. When we do grow, it’ll be the same way: one community at a time.
What you can expect from us.
Free for residents
Being part of your own community shouldn’t cost anything. Taking part in Homestead is free for residents.
Private where it matters
Where you live is the most personal thing we hold. It’s never shown to anyone, and we built Homestead around keeping it that way.
Local, not global
You’re not shouting into the whole internet. Homestead is about the people around you and nobody else.
Grown carefully
We’d rather do one community well than a hundred badly, so we’re starting small and listening.
Help us build it, one street at a time.
Homestead is in early access in Swinton. Register your interest, wherever you live, and be part of what comes next.