Utah Housing Corporation, Tooele School District team up for affordable housing

Utah Housing Corporation and the Tooele School District are excited to host an open house for their most recent collaborative effort to provide brand new, affordable housing in Grantsville. Utah Housing Corporation partners with schools and students to provide the ECHO (Educationally Constructed Housing Opportunities) program that helps Utah's families into well-built, affordable homes.  

 

The ECHO program is targeted at lowering the cost of a home by using a student workforce. Once complete, the home is sold to a moderate-income household at a price well below the market, and the school receives the builder's fee for constructing the home. ECHO homes have strengthened many school construction programs across Utah and provide an important service to the community by helping moderate-income households afford their own home. 

 

ECHO homes are sold to households earning modest incomes of 80 percent or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) in their community ($51,760 for a family of four in Grantsville).  Utah Housing provides financing for acquiring the land, purchasing materials and supplies, and paying for licensed subcontractors.  Utah Housing has built 92 ECHO homes and funded $865,000 in profits to school programs.  Currently seven ECHO homes are under construction across Utah. 

 

"We're happy to contribute to the community in this way.  ECHO homes really make a difference president of Utah Housing Corporation. 

 

"Tooele County School District appreciates the partnership with the ECHO program.  This program has provided our students with opportunities during their educational experience and beyond high school.  This is the ninth year of the partnership, and we hope to have many more.  Students are learning the skills of construction under the leadership of our instructors, Chris Williams and Fred Killpack.  Thanks for their vision and enthusiasm for the program," said Terry Linares, superintendent, Tooele County School District. Original Article