The fledgling Summit County Housing Authority has just under $350,000 to spend in 2026, its first full year of existence. The biggest chunk of that budget, $150,000, is going to emergency rental assistance.
The housing authority opened a grant application June 17 to nonprofits that already help residents with rent, such as Community Action Services and the Christian Center of Park City.
Maddy McDonough, the housing authority’s executive director, told KPCW it’s a one-time grant to gather data so board members can decide whether to make the program permanent.
“[Rental assistance] is meant for a short-term basis, one to two months, because of something unexpected that's happened,” McDonough said. “Whether that's the loss of a job, a change in medical situation, change in family situation.”
She added that rental assistance can be a final stopgap before eviction.
The other big chunk of cash, $100,000, may go to homeowners. It’s to incentivize them to build accessory dwelling units.
ADUs come in all shapes and sizes, including basement apartments and detached guest houses.
The Summit County Housing Authority is working with county planners and engineers to draft pre-approved ADU blueprints for homeowners to choose from.
The $100,000 would go toward ADUs rented at below market rates. McDonough said staff are still working on the details before launching the pilot program.
“We’re trying to balance being able to assist a great number of folks in creating these ADUs versus really subsidizing a few ADUs,” she said.
McDonough told the Summit County Council at its Wednesday meeting that the housing authority plans to recommend additional pro-affordability policies in the future.
It’s drafting a small-lot residential zone and may recommend creating an overlay zone.
An overlay is another type of incentive where landowners are, for example, allowed to build more or taller housing in a given area if they make it affordable.
McDonough’s final request was simply for the council to continue funding the housing authority’s work.
Summit County is a financial supporter of KPCW.
