Mountainlands Community Housing

MOUNTAINLANDS COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOCIATION'S (MCHA) PURPOSE IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT A SAFE AFFORDABLE HOME IS OFTEN A FAMILY'S FIRST STEP TOWARD ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. MCHA ADDRESSES THE DUAL PROBLEMS OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND AVAILABILITY ON THREE FRONTS: ACQUISITION AND NEW CONSTRUCTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, DIRECT ASSISTANCE IN SECURING HOUSING AND NEEDED BASIC SERVICES, AND EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY TO PROMOTE HOUSING POLICY.

IN AUGUST 2022, MOUNTAINLANDS LAUNCHED ITS COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER (HRC) WITH A TWOFOLD PURPOSE: (1) TO COORDINATE AND FOCUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING; AND (2) TO SERVE AS A ONE-STOP-SHOP TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN IDENTIFYING AND OBTAINING HOUSING. THE CENTER WAS STAFFED INITIALLY BY TWO FULL-TIME POSITIONS: A HOUSING ADVOCATE WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND ADVOCACY WORK; AND A BILINGUAL HOUSING NAVIGATOR WITH AN AIM OF CONNECTING RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY UNDERSERVED LOWER-INCOME LATINX HOUSEHOLDS, TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. THE HRC WAS INITIALLY FUNDED BY THE PARK CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (PCCF), PARK CITY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION (PCMC), AND MOUNTAINLANDS AND ACTED AS AN INDEPENDENT ADVOCATE (OUTSIDE OF MOUNTAINLANDS) FOR HOUSING ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. OUR HRC HAS ASSISTED IN SELLING 40% OF A NEW, AFFORDABLE 32-UNIT MOUNTAINLANDS' CONDOMINIUM PROJECT TO FIRST-TIME LATINX HOMEBUYERS (V. A GOAL OF 30% OF THE UNITS). OUR HRC STAFF INCREASED THE NUMBER OF LOW-INCOME WORKFORCE MEMBERS ON THE PCMC HOUSING WAITLIST BY 96 AND HELPED AN ADDITIONAL 16 HOUSEHOLDS (95% LATINX) OBTAIN PRE-APPROVALS FROM LENDERS FOR HOME PURCHASES.

THE MUTUAL SELF-HELP HOUSING PROGRAM IS A USDA/RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SPONSORED BY MOUNTAINLANDS FOR LOW-INCOME TO VERY LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO ACHIEVE THE DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP THROUGH "SWEAT EQUITY". DURING THE FISCAL YEAR THE SELF HELP PROGRAM CONTINUED TO FACE HIGH COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND DELAYS IN SUBCONTRACTORS' DELIVERY OF SERVICE AND MATERIALS. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES ON MATERIALS AND SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION ON 18 HOMES IN THE SILVER CREEK VILLAGE SUBDIVISION MADE PROGRESS, RESULTING IN 12 FINISHED HOMES IN THE FISCAL YEAR. AT THE FRONTIER COTTAGES SUBDIVISION LOCATED IN FRANCIS, A 21-LOT SUBDIVISION, 9 HOMES WERE COMPLETED BY OCTOBER 2022. MOUNTAINLANDS CONTINUED TO REALIZE LARGE "GAINS ON SALE" FROM THE SALES OF THESE LOTS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.

LAST YEAR, MOUNTAINLANDS FINISHED THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PARKVIEW PLACE SUBDIVISION IN HEBER, A 49-LOT SUBDIVISION. MOUNTAINLANDS THEN BEGAN THE LOTS (13 SINGLE FAMILY, 30 TOWNHOMES AND 6 DUPLEX UNITS) AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON 17 LOTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR SOLD WITH HOMES SUBJECT TO DEED RESTRICTIONS.