Background Statement
The bucolic ski communities of Summit County have always grappled with the development of tourism, the high cost of mountain living, and economic diversity. One of the symptoms from this unique dynamic has and continues to be housing accessibility. As Summit County worked to build out solutions for expanding home ownership opportunities, Summit Habitat for Humanity (SHFH) was chartered in January 1987.
Several years after their inception, founding board members purchased a lot in the Dillon community and built SHFH's first home. Since this time SHFH has built several homes, and completed many home improvement projects to equip rural residents with the opportunities and resources to work, live, and lay down roots in the communities of Summit County.
One of the most significant road blocks to building more homes is the high price of land across our mountainous region. SHFH continues to explore creative solutions for overcoming this challenge by working collaboratively with municipalities, development corporations, and local nonprofits. To further the organization's impact, in 2018 SHFH joined housing conversations with stakeholders in neighboring Park County. SHFH remains engaged with Park County and has now incorporate the municipalities of Alma and Fairplay into SHFH's service area. This opportunity allows for SHFH to expand housing solutions across our rural region; elevating our impact by making homeownership a reality for more working rural families. Summit Habitat for Humanity remains committed to solutions that break the cycle of poverty by making housing accessible to more residents across the communities of Summit County and South Park.