Homes are adequately but simply furnished with donated kitchen supplies and furniture. As a community, volunteers decide how to handle finances, agree on regular times to be together, learn how to make decisions and resolve conflict through consensus, and divide household responsibilities. Through these activities, the household becomes a support system, or intentional community, to help individuals cope with the challenges of the volunteer year. Volunteers' most common experiences with crime are petty thefts of things like stereos and bikes. There are some built-in safety factors.
All volunteers attend an urban safety seminar at orientation.
Living in community assures volunteers that someone is around most of the time. Local Support Committees and former volunteers are neighborhood resources as well. Volunteers live under financial constraints, but basic needs are met. LVC asks volunteers to limit their spending to the amount of their stipends. Volunteers are asked not to work for pay outside of their placement, take classes for credit, or work a lot of overtime.