Tim Rohwer, a 38-year-old father of four, didn’t always sleep in a bed. Until recently, he spent most nights on the couch.

It wasn’t because his wife, Brooke, kicked him there. 

The couple was already outgrowing their two-bedroom apartment in Kamas with their two young children when the family learned they were expecting twins. Space became even more cramped when Emma and Eliza were born in 2022. It was stressful, Rohwer recalled. 

He still remembers leaving Idaho Falls for Centerville, Utah, after graduating from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in musical arts around 2011. He married his wife the following fall and found a job working as an orchestra teacher in the South Summit School District and at the Utah Conservancy.

The working-class newlyweds never thought they could live near Park City. The cost of living was too expensive and the price of housing was too high — especially for a young family making less than half of the area median income. 

So, Rohwer made the 55-mile, one-hour commute each way. 

Circumstances changed when the family learned about the Mountainlands Community Housing Trust a few years ago. The nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating, facilitating and building affordable housing in the Wasatch Back helped the couple secure a place in eastern Summit County.

Mountainlands has built over 300 for-sale homes and 350 affordable rentals since forming in 1993, including projects like the Holiday Village Apartments and Central Village Condos. The staff believes having a safe, affordable home is the first step toward economic self-sufficiency.

The affordable unit the Rohwers rented in Kamas worked well for a few years, but the growing family realized they were due for another upgrade. 

Rohwer briefly looked at Park City’s real estate market and found a home listed for $77,000. He thought it was a great price, only to learn it was the cost to rent the property for a week.

The couple reached out to Mountainlands again and learned about a new project to create one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units in Silver Creek at a significantly lower cost. 

The 24-unit deeply affordable Mineros Apartment complex is restricted to people earning between 25% and 50% of the area median income, which is less than $76,500 for a four-person household. Rental rates range between $613 and $1,239 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,503 to $1,955 for a four-bedroom.

Rohwer was the second person to apply. His income had just been cut and the couple wasn’t sure how they would move it into a new place, but Mountainlands made it possible.

“Affordability issues run across the gamut. You can’t miss when you’re trying to do affordable housing whether that be between 80-100% AMI, or in our case here, I think we’re averaging about 45% AMI,” said Mountainlands Community Housing Trust Executive Director Jason Glidden.

This was underscored when all but one of the Mineros Apartments were leased and inhabited the same day the occupancy certificate was signed. The waitlist is now almost 60 people long one month into renting.

Moving into the Mineros Apartments has been transformative for the family. The kids can run around and play without so much bickering, since everyone has their own space. Rohwer even has room to start fixing instruments for his students. He would never have had room for six violins, three cellos and two violas in the old place.

“There’s a mental feeling of ‘Oh we’ve got room, we’ve got space’ and that’s been really nice,” Rohwer said. “I’ve worked in Park City for so long that to actually start seeing people and interacting with them, I feel more included. That’s been very fulfilling. It’s been very cathartic to feel like I’m a part of this community. I’m not just serving this community.”

It can become difficult to finance affordable housing projects, but Mountainlands was able to secure low-income housing tax credits to help offset the costs. Glidden said it wouldn’t be possible to offer rent at the current rate without some form of subsidy. The land was also donated by the Village Development Group. Summit County waived certain project fees such as building permits, too.

Mountainlands has built a total of 146 units in Silver Creek. Mineros is the last planned project in the area at the moment. All Silver Creek Village developments must provide at least 25% affordable housing.

“We have changed lives and improved lives,” said Board of Trustees President Bob Richer during the Mineros ribbon cutting on Friday. “Thanks to all who have made this a reality.”