- Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Salt Lake area begins affordable housing construction in Tooele County.
- Four homes will be built, offering 30-year, zero-interest mortgages to residents.
- Future residents must contribute 225 hours of sweat equity during construction.
TOOELE — Habitat for Humanity has had a presence in Tooele County for years, primarily by helping with home repairs, but a change is in the works.
Tooele County will now benefit from the agency's prominent program, which focuses on building affordable housing.
"It's a big deal, a really big deal," said Carin Crowe, CEO of the Greater Salt Lake area Habitat affiliate. "We'll be a tiny fish in a big old pond. And even though people say that Tooele is less expensive, the average housing costs are between $400,000 and $525,000, so the need is there."
Four new homes will be built near where another affordable housing program, the Self-Help Homes, already exists in Tooele City. Habitat will begin this new program by building four new homes with the hope of more later in the year.
These homes will be between 1,200 square feet and 1,400 square feet with a 30-year mortgage at zero percent interest. The monthly mortgage payment will also not exceed 30% of the new residents' income. Future residents must also provide sweat equity, physically working on the construction of their home, for a total of 225 hours.
The homes will have LED lighting and include basic appliances such as a stove, a refrigerator and more. Future residents will also receive training from construction leaders on how to do the work they need to do. The construction manager will also be on site to lead and assist with the building.
It is the addition of affordable housing into a community that makes the Habitat program so valuable, according to local and national Habitat leaders. The agency's vision is to create and live in a world where everyone lives in a decent home. Providing affordable homes makes this possible for more residents.
For much of the Greater Salt Lake area's Habitat history, staff practiced this vision only in Salt Lake County, where all its homes had been built. Tooele will benefit from the nonprofit's expansion, with Davis County likely to follow in the future.
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Salt Lake area sees its entrance into Tooele as more than simply a way to build houses every few months a year. Crowe also views it as a chance to be a new and helpful neighbor to residents and other civic leaders.
"Tooele County is filled with 'salt of the earth' kind of people," she said. "We're excited to be a part of that community. And we need to recognize Tooele for the small metropolis that it is."
If funding were not an issue — and it is — Habitat leaders can form a long-term relationship with community leaders and those in need of affordable housing. More homes would be built and more partnerships would form.
They also plan to maintain, now and in the future, the critical housing repair program that has become so successful. In the past, the agency averaged 30-40 repairs per fiscal year. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 100 critical home repairs have been completed.
Each repair averages $30,000 of work, allowing people to stay in their own homes for longer.
For now, the agency staff are preparing to get these four homes built for the four families that will be able to call this place their home.
And meet the new people who will become a part of their work.
"We can't function without the individuals in our communities," Crowe said. "We're excited to be here. Tooele is so tight-knit and filled with just good people. We would love for people to live in the communities they already live in. In Tooele as much as anywhere else."
