MOUNTAINLANDS COMMUNITY HOUSING ASSOCIAT

LAST YEAR, MOUNTAINLANDS CONTINUED WORK THE PARKVIEW PLACE SUBDIVISION IN HEBER CITY, A 49-LOT SUBDIVISION. THE SUBDIVISION CONSTISTS OF 13 SINGLE FAMILY, 30 TOWNHOMES AND 6 DUPLEX UNITS. ALL OF WHICH WILL BE SOLD AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS AS WE COMPLETED AND SOLD A DUPLEX UNIT SUBJECT TO DEED RESTRICTIONS. WORK HAS BEGUN ON FINISHING THE COMMON SPACE LANDSCAPING AS WELL AS THE NEXT 6 TOWNHOMES.

SINCE 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 CONTINUES TO HELP THE WORKFORCE NAVIGATE HOUSING OPTIONS, INCREASING THE COUNT ON THE PCMC WAITLIST BY 36. HELPED 12 FAMILIES APPLY TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OWNERSHIP PROGRAM AND 6 FAMILIES APPLY FOR CROWN RENT TO OWN. THE CURRENT HIKE IN INTEREST RATES HAS BECOME A BARRIER TO FIRS TIME HOMEBUYERS CAUSING A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN APPLICANTS. THE HRC PROVIDED 6 INDIVIDUALS AND 18 FAMILIES WITH EDUCATION ON DEBT TO INCOME, CREDIT - HOW TO START GROWING AND MAINTAINING A GOOD CREDIT SCORE, BUDGETING TO PREPARE FOR HOME OWNERSHIP UNDERSTANDING HOW INTEREST RATES AFFECT BUYING POWER, CREDIT CARD USAGE AND HOW TO REDUCE DEBT AND REPAIR CREDIT. THE HRC HAS ASSISTED WITH 7 RESALES OF AFFORDABLE UNITS IN SUMMIT COUNTY. SIX OUT OF THE SEVEN UNITS WERE SOLD TO NON-WHITE HOUSEHOLDS. THE HRC ALSO ASSISTED IN THE SALE OF 18 NEW AFFORDABLE UNITS IN WASATCH COUNTY, OF WHICH 50% OF THE BUYERS WERE NON-WHITE HOUSEHOLDS.