Mountainlands Community Housing Trust, which develops and assists with affordable housing, is one of three organizations hosting an educational meeting Tuesday, Aug. 20 at the Park City Library to share information about affordable housing. The meeting in English will be from 6pm to 7pm, while the Spanish meeting will be from 7pm to 8pm. Both meetings will also be accessible through zoom.
“We help the community understand what is available to them, specific to their situation and the process they need to take,” said Angelica Espinoza, housing navigator at Mountainlands’ Housing Resource Center.
Included in the presentations will be information on how to find affordable housing and how to know if you qualify, as well as a look at the application and approval process. Espinoza says the process can vary - depending on each person’s situation and whether they’re applying for affordable ownership or rental.
She says steps include applying for a home loan and being ready with a pre-approval letter from the lender. She says the Housing Resource Center can help with each step.
“The Housing Resource Center is there to provide information for everyone, every program available to you, as a community member or as a workforce member,” said Espinoza.
Organizers will also gather the names of attendees interested in rental opportunities at Engine House and Studio Crossings during the meetings. Both projects are still under construction.
“Wait lists are average from 12 to 24 months for an affordable apartment,” said Espinoza.
Espinoza says that eligibility is decided on a case-by-case basis, with some differences between programs. All programs, however, consider how individuals or family incomes compare to the area median income, or AMI. Immigration status is also taken into account by some organizations.
“We know that the workforce needs it because the cost of living here has skyrocketed,” said Espinoza.
She said the workforce - including teachers, firefighters and PAs - has been priced out from living in Park City.
“Out of all of the firefighters, we have two who live within the city limits, and about five that live in the county,” said Espinoza.
Some affordable housing units are designated as workforce housing. She says she sees both families and individuals applying for affordable housing.
