Imagine Summit County without ski patrol keeping the mountain safe. Imagine Park City without housekeepers to freshen up hotel rooms or line cooks and dishwashers to keep restaurants running efficiently in the local dining scene we love. When workers can’t afford to live in the community they serve, it changes the community’s very nature. Commuter towns lose that social cohesion, and the trust and sense of shared belonging that come with it.
What replaces it? A town that functions but doesn’t feel like home for the people who make it run. Stable housing serves as health infrastructure, reducing the levels of chronic stress, deferred medical care, and crisis interventions that cost communities far more in the long run. By contrast, inclusive communities are thriving communities. When people can live where they work, they are invested in that place and can contribute to the community rather than simply trying to hold on.
Habitat’s Role in Summit County
At Habitat for Humanity, we believe that building homes is a community investment that pays dividends for generations. It is less expensive for Summit County to invest in stable housing than it is to absorb the cascading costs of instability, which include crisis services and the childhood trauma that comes with constant moves between short-term housing.
When teachers live down the street from their students, and you recognize firefighters at the supermarket, community takes root. Every working family that Habitat builds strengthens our social fabric. And the whole community benefits. According to the Healthy People 2030 initiative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, strong social cohesion is associated with lower rates of neighborhood violence, better health outcomes, and more community involvement.
Building homes is only part of the work Habitat does to build community. We also advocate for policies that make affordable homeownership possible, collaborate with community partners across the Wasatch Back, and raise awareness about the critical need for affordable housing. Stable, inclusive communities require this kind of sustained commitment.
The Stabilizer Effect of Inclusive Communities
Ask any teacher about the importance of stability in a child’s academic success. Kids who can stay in one home and one school build relationships and develop a sense of safety and belonging. Housing insecurity works against all that. Children who experience housing insecurity are more likely to see their grades suffer, drop out of school, and face lasting physical and mental health consequences.
Homeownership can change all that. It’s an important tool for building future wealth, according to a research report from the Urban Institute, which also found that children of homeowners are more likely to own a home themselves, breaking the cycle of instability that can span generations. A mortgage becomes a foundation on which a family can build their life. And those benefits extend outward into neighborhoods, schools, and the broader community
A Healthier Summit County Starts with a Stable Home
Summit County is one of the most beautiful places in the country, but that beauty comes at a cost that many of the people who sustain it simply cannot afford. The thriving tourism industry, stunning natural beauty, and high quality of life all drive housing costs far out of reach for those whose work supports local services.
When you support Habitat for Humanity, you’re not just funding homes. You’re investing in the community for all of us who live here. For more than 30 years, Habitat for Humanity of Summit and Wasatch Counties has built homes for local families, each one keeping kids in school and workers rooted in the same community. Join us in donating, volunteering, and advocating for inclusive local communities. Learn more about how to support Habitat for Humanity and invest in Summit County.
