LIFULL HOME'S 'FRIENDLY DOOR' Supports Housing-Vulnerable Individuals as Participating Real Estate Agencies Surpass 7,000 Nationwide

URL: https://actionforall.homes.co.jp/friendlydoor

LIFULL Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Yusuke Ito; TSE Prime: 2120), a company dedicated to solving social issues through business, operates the real estate and housing information service 'LIFULL HOME'S'. It announces that the number of real estate agencies participating in its service 'FRIENDLY DOOR'—which enables users to search for agencies that provide empathetic consultation to housing-vulnerable individuals—has surpassed 7,000 nationwide as of June 1, 2026.

When the service launched in 2019, only about 500 real estate agencies participated. Since then, participation has grown significantly, expanding the movement toward achieving 'housing equity'—ensuring everyone can equally access suitable housing—across the real estate industry.

What is LIFULL HOME'S 'FRIENDLY DOOR'?

Individuals categorized as 'housing-vulnerable'—including the elderly, foreign nationals, LGBTQ+ individuals, welfare recipients, single mothers and fathers, disaster survivors, people with disabilities, youth without family support, and freelancers—often face barriers in tenant screening and communication, making it difficult to find desired housing.

Under LIFULL’s corporate message, 'Make every LIFE FULL,' LIFULL HOME'S launched FRIENDLY DOOR to address this issue by facilitating matching between these individuals and real estate agencies that offer supportive, understanding consultation.

LIFULL HOME'S 'FRIENDLY DOOR': https://actionforall.homes.co.jp/friendlydoor

Background Behind Surpassing 7,000 Participating Stores

Currently, the number of people facing housing challenges is growing due to increasing single-person households and rising living costs.

Beyond the elderly and foreign nationals, recent years have seen more individuals facing unexpected income reductions, making housing instability a 'challenge anyone could face.'

The FRIENDLY DOOR Support Desk, which offers advice on housing search procedures and property selection, as well as referrals to government and housing support organizations, receives daily inquiries from individuals struggling to find suitable housing.

To further improve the environment for safe consultation, FRIENDLY DOOR has continuously expanded the number of participating agencies, increasing options for users.

Additionally, rising vacancy rates due to population decline pose a major challenge for real estate businesses.

FRIENDLY DOOR positions the acceptance of housing-vulnerable individuals not as mere charity, but as a strategic business opportunity for real estate agencies and landlords—enabling business expansion and access to new markets.

To transform landlords’ and agencies’ 'anxieties' into 'confidence,' FRIENDLY DOOR has conducted outreach by providing knowledge and practical solutions to prevent potential issues.

Alongside these efforts, many real estate agencies have proactively embraced the initiative, improving customer service practices and acquiring specialized knowledge to better serve diverse populations.

This convergence of rising societal needs and growing willingness among real estate agencies to serve diverse groups has driven the increase in participating stores.

Services and Features Offered by LIFULL HOME'S 'FRIENDLY DOOR'

FRIENDLY DOOR offers a range of multifaceted support functions to help housing-vulnerable individuals overcome anxieties and difficulties, enabling smoother housing searches:

- Search for 'Real Estate Agencies'

Users can search for agencies that understand and actively support individuals across nine categories: elderly, foreign nationals, LGBTQ+, welfare recipients, single parents, disaster survivors, people with disabilities, youth without family support, and freelancers.

- Search for 'Properties' open to consultation

Users can directly search a list of properties that do not reject applicants based on their background. In April 2026, FRIENDLY DOOR launched a dedicated UI on property detail pages, designed to be user-friendly for first-time movers, including housing-vulnerable individuals. The interface has been updated to explain total costs and unfamiliar real estate terms in clearer language.

- Search for 'Safety Net Housing'

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, users can search for 'Safety Net Housing'—designated units that do not deny occupancy to those with housing needs. Real-time vacancy information is also available.

- Individual consultation via the 'FRIENDLY DOOR Support Desk'

Users can consult directly with specialized staff via LINE. Free support includes guidance on using the site, housing search procedures, local rental market trends, and finding suitable real estate agencies tailored to individual circumstances.

- Search and consult in foreign languages

Users can search for real estate agencies that support five official languages: English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Portuguese. Multilingual consultation is also available through the AI-powered LINE account 'AI Holmes-kun'.

- Learn about trends and case studies related to housing-vulnerable individuals

Through articles published by the 'ACTION FOR ALL Editorial Department' on 'LIFULL HOME'S PRESS,' users can access information on changing environments, current challenges, government support programs, and initiatives by organizations and companies supporting housing-vulnerable individuals.

LIFULL HOME'S 'FRIENDLY DOOR': https://actionforall.homes.co.jp/friendlydoor

The Journey of LIFULL HOME'S 'FRIENDLY DOOR'

Since its launch in 2019, FRIENDLY DOOR has continuously expanded its features and strengthened its support systems by listening to user feedback, aiming to alleviate anxieties and difficulties in housing searches for vulnerable individuals.

- November 2019: Service launch

Launched as a service to help individuals facing housing challenges find real estate agencies that offer empathetic consultation.

- June 2021: Launch of information dissemination via ACTION FOR ALL note (now: ACTION FOR ALL Editorial Department)

To raise awareness of housing vulnerability as a social issue, the platform began publishing articles featuring voices from affected individuals and support initiatives.

- April 2023: Expansion of target categories to nine

Added 'youth without family support' and 'freelancers' as target categories to better address diverse needs.

- October 2023: Co-development of the 'Universal Manners Certification (Real Estate)'

Jointly developed with Mirairo Inc., this certification aims to standardize inclusive customer service practices across the real estate industry.