Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “news”
We are thrilled to share that after months of planning and ongoing renovation, the HTOC 5-Plex rental project at 835 2nd Street in Ouray is now accepting applications and will be welcoming residents in the Spring! This project represents another meaningful step forward in our mission to grow an inclusive, economically diverse community by providing permanently affordable housing for income-qualified households in Ouray County. …
We’re proud to share that the Ouray Regional partnership, including the Town of Ridgway, City of Ouray, Ouray County, and Home Trust of Ouray County, has successfully completed the 25 affordable housing unit commitments required under Proposition 123 for the initial 2023–2026 compliance cycle nearly one year ahead of schedule. This marks the first regional approach of its kind in Colorado, demonstrating the power of …
The Home Trust of Ouray County is proud to share that Housing Services Director, Eva Henson, was recently featured in the Ouray County Plaindealer article, “Housing director touts ’passion and purpose.’” The article highlights Eva’s nearly two decades of experience working in Colorado mountain communities, as well as her firsthand understanding of deed-restricted housing as a homeowner. Drawing from both …
We’re thrilled to welcome Amanda Gerhardt as the Home Trust of Ouray County’s new Finance Director. Amanda brings deep expertise in affordable housing, nonprofit finance, and development particularly across Colorado’s Western Slope. Prior to joining the Home Trust, she served as Executive Director for a Habitat for Humanity affiliate, where she led major organizational growth, tripling housing production and significantly expanding the organization’s …
After months of quiet momentum, we have raised more than 55% of our goal – $772K so far! Thus, we are thrilled to announce the public launch of our Affordable Housing NOW Campaign and we’re kicking it off with a $50,000 Matching Challenge! Thanks to Western Colorado Community Foundation, through their Bruce Dixson and Dave and Mary Wood funds, every …
Our Annual Membership Drive runs from June 19th to August 28th – with a chance to win one of 5 prizes totaling $3,660 in value! Be a part of the solution – become a Home Trust of Ouray County Member For only $25 per person or $25o per business you can feel good about belonging to an organization making an …
We’re still riding the high from this year’s Ourayce 10K Fun Run — and it’s all thanks to YOU, our sponsors, volunteers and runners! On a picture-perfect 4th of July morning, 209 runners (up from 120 last year!) hit the streets of Ouray at 7,800′ in festive gear and unstoppable spirit. From the Bald Eagle to Uncle Sam to all the amazing …
Home Trust of Ouray County is thrilled to share news of our next affordable housing initiative – an important preservation project in the City of Ouray. We are currently under contract to purchase a triplex, which we plan to renovate and expand into a five-unit affordable rental property. This transformation will increase the number of affordable homes available and help …
Located at 779 & 783 Northa Laura Street Ridgwy, this project is preventing the displacement of two income-qualified families with long-standing ties to the community who fill valuable roles in the County’s workforce, ensuring they can continue to live, work, and send their children to school in the same community. In December 2021 the Home Trust of Ouray County received …
We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to the incredible generosity of donors like you, we successfully met our $50,000 matching challenge! This support is crucial in continuing the forward momentum of our various affordable housing projects into 2025. Home Trust of Ouray County extends our heartfelt thanks to all of our donors and supporters this year. Your commitment to our mission …
Want to Double Your Impact and get a tax credit while donating to a meaningful cause? Thanks to a deeply generous donor, every donation made to Home Trust between now and December 31st, 2024, will be matched dollar-for-dollar—up to $50,000 – through our “Building Homes & Thriving Communities” year-end giving campaign! This Matching Campaign means your gift will have double …
We are excited to see our Park Side Duplex take new shape and color every day (see images below). This is Home Trust’s first affordable homebuyer project and the preliminary application process ends November 4th so visit our website to get your applicaiton in today! And in other great news: Western Colorado Community Foundation has awarded funds from the Ouray County …
The 3rd Annual Home Tour, October 6th, was a lovely day of community giving, gathering and connecting – a day which helps us all to remember and be grateful for why we live in this beautiful place with wonderful people who care about one another, and about affordable housing. Thank you to all who participated as a guest, homeowner, …
Home Trust secured $20,000 in funding from Enterprise Community Partners, an organization working to “invest in and advocate for the preservation and production of good homes people can afford”. This funding was committed to a renovation project we are undertaking for our 6-Plex apartments in Ouray (photo above). When we purchased the property to preserve it as affordable housing some of …
Being a Member of the Home Trust is a great way to support us, keep updated on what we are doing and how you can be involved. For only a $25 donation per year ($250 for businesses, which includes some good PR) you can feel like part of our team, one that is working hard to keep our community inclusive …
The 41st Annual Ourayce, a 10K fun run in Ouray on July 4th to benefit Home Trust of Ouray County was a success with 170 runners (a new record!) from all across the country participating to raise almost $16,000 for our affordable housing projects. Big thanks to all our volunteers that made this a smooth and super fun event! Board …
Would you like to volunteer for the Home Trust? We have events coming up that will get you connected with our community (we are talking happy live music connected…) while helping a great cause. The 41st Annual Ourayce, a 10K fun run in Ouray, that Home Trust has hosted for the past 2 years, is returning July 4th. We have …
We are excited to be recipients of a $50K Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant funding award that allows our hard work and important cause to be recognized, and supported. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs, in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, is responsible for administering the Nonprofit Infrastructure Grant Program. Through a competitive process, nonprofits across the state …
We are excited to share that our River Walk Rental Project in Ouray (sketch drawings below – which were recently approved by the Ouray Planning Commission of this 13 unit affordable rental project) received a full funding request from the State’s More Housing Now initiative, of $297,450 – whoop! The funding, through the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), will be …
Nothing like a lovely spring day to celebrate big dreams coming into fruition…big thanks to On Sight Construction crew for their hard work!
We like to share our funding success with our supporters to help assure you that we are working hard to grow our impact and our organization. Below are 3 such recent successes… Happy New Year to Affordable Housing! Home Trust was just awarded $350,000 from the Division of Housing for our Ouray 6-plex at 734 4th Street. This grant funding …
The Colorado State Housing Board awarded Home Trust of Ouray County a $100,000 grant for construction costs of the North Laura Street Duplex construction project (image above). Western Colorado Community Fund granted $5000, through the Dave and Mary Wood Fund, and another $3000, through the Ouray County Community Fund, to the Home Trust for general operations. Thank you WCCF! And, …
Wednesday December 6th, 5:30 PM – Ridgway Town Hall Community Room Please join us for our final meeting of 2023! Meet the Board, learn about our 2023 progress, our current projects and funding needs, and share your ideas and input…
You are Invited: Thursday November 9th, 1 – 2.30 PM Ridgway Town Hall Community Room Or Wednesday November 15th, 1 – 2.30 PM Region 10 Colorado,145 S Cascade Ave, Montrose, CO The Home Trust, in partnership with Colorado Humanities, invites you to a conversation on potential usage of its affordable rental project that includes around 3400 square feet of ground floor …
Channel 5 News aired a story on City of Ouray, with an emphasis on Ouray’s housing crisis. Home Trust Board Secretary Marc Hitchcox was interviewed regarding the housing crisis in the region and Community Outreach Director Kelly Goodin responded with some of the projects the Home Tour is pursuing to address the issues… Watch Here
We loved the 2nd Annual Home Tour so much! So many people to thank for their generous support – from our presenting sponsor Alpine Bank to our list of sponsors who helped us to raise over $20,000 for our affordable housing projects! Thank you homeowners for opening your extraordinary homes! Thank you vendors and musicians for providing such amazing food, …
The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority has selected Home Trust’s Ridgway Childcare and Rentals project for CHFA’s small-scale technical assistance program. The next step will be a scope of work meeting with the TA team but we are looking at utilizing their assistance with stakeholder outreach meetings to determine the use of the ground floor commercial space to best benefit the community, conceptual design with community input, and financial modeling. …
HIf you are interested in affordable housing, you may have heard of Proposition 123. This bill was approved by Colorado voters in 2022 and sets aside a portion of annual state income tax revenue from the General Fund, up to 0.1% of annual taxable income, for affordable housing programs. The annual amount available is estimated to be roughly $300 million. …
Home Trust of Ouray County was selected to participate in the Preservation Next Colorado Academy Cohort and will utilize a $65,000 grant to build the organization’s capacity to preserve affordable housing. The funds are being directed toward staffing, capacity consulting, and contracting a grant writer to pursue additional funds toward the restoration/rehabilitation of the Ouray 6-plex, repayment of the bridge …
The Board of County Commissioners approved a $100,000 grant for the Home Trust last week, again showing strong support for our efforts (this is in addition to the $100,000 funding toward our Ouray 6-plex purchase). This latest funding will be used to leverage a matching grant from DOLA for infrastructure improvements for the 6-plex and the Home Trust’s Ouray Oak …
The Ouray County Plaindealer published an article this week regarding the Home Trust’s purchase of the six-unit apartment building in Ouray. The article noted the Home Trust’s impetus of the purchase was to preserve it in an effort to keep the tenants — who work in local businesses and some who have lived there for decades — in their homes …
The Home Trust received good news from Helen Katich, Senator Hickenlooper’s Western CO Regional Director, that Senator Hickenlooper has chosen our Childcare and Rentals project in Ridgway to be included in the draft bill going before congress for congressionally directed spending. It won’t be until December when Congress would vote on the final spending draft so it’s neither guaranteed that we …
We closed on a 6 unit apartment building in the city of Ouray. Many thanks to our partners who helped us preserve existing affordable housing: the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, DOLA, the city of Ouray, Ouray County, and our local community members who donated to this project! We were awarded a $350,000 grant by the state housing board to …
All three local governments have agreed to contribute $20,000 each for a total of $60k to the Home Trust for 2023 operational funding. These operating funds were approved by the Home Trust Board to be used to hire Andrea Sokolowski as its full-time Executive Director. The Board has also added a representative from each of our local governments: Josh Smith …
The Home Trust was accepted into Enterprise Community Partner’s Preservation Next Academy Cohort. This opportunity includes training for preserving affordable housing, a $50,000 grant, and an additional $15,000 in technical assistance.
Home Trust board members, Shirley Diaz and Marc Hitchcox handed out cookies and chocolates in the Space to Create community room for Ridgway’s Noel Night. It was a great community engagement opportunity. On December 12th, the Beanstalk Foundation awarded the Home Trust $16,000 for the construction of the Parkside duplex. And on December 22nd, the Home Trust was awarded $50,000 …
The Home Trust was awarded a $5000 grant from the Ouray County Community Fund for the construction of the Parkside duplex – our first homeownership project. We also closed on 660 Sherman Street on November 18, 2022 thanks to Frank and Jeanne Robertson. Funds to purchase the property were obtained from DOLA’s Operation Turnkey loan program. The Robertsons generously offered …
The inaugural Home Tour last Sunday was a fantastic success and a ton of fun! Together we raised over $18,000 between our sponsors and 100 attendees. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported affordable housing in Ouray County and special thanks to our sponsors who made this event successful. And to our volunteers Carolyn Ford, Jen Donovan, Sandra Boles, …
The Home Trust of Ouray County hosted the 39th annual Ourayce 10k this year. Thank you to the volunteers who made the race possible, and particularly Nancy Nixon. We also thank the Ouray Police Department and everybody who registered and purchased T-shirts. Results: https://ultrasignup.com/m_results_event.aspx?did=94025
The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) awarded the Home Trust a bridge loan for the purchase of land at 660 Sherman Street in Ridgway for its proposed Ridgway Childcare Facility and Rental Housing development. The $360,000 loan comes from the State and Local Recovery Fund (SLFRF) Operation Turn Key 1329 Housing Development Grant. The Home Trust also submitted a Congressionally …
All three local governments contributed $10,000 each for a total of $30k to the Home Trust for operational funding. Ouray County on April 5, Town of Ridgway on April 13, and the City of Ouray on April 18. These operating funds were approved by the Home Trust Board to be used to hire Andrea Sokolowski as its Executive Director. The …
The Home Trust of Ouray County is currently composed of all volunteer board members, and our volunteer Executive Director, Andrea Sokolowski. Managing construction projects, negotiating land purchases and donations, grant writing, and administering the “Homebuyer Opportunity Fund” are all currently being done pro bono. If you would like to make a tax-deductible charitable contribution to Home Trust operational funding, click …
The Home Trust of Ouray County has recently become the administrator of Ouray County’s Homebuyer Opportunity Fund. This fund will assist qualified homebuyers with purchasing an affordable home in Ouray County. The initial funds are earmarked for four specific deed-restricted units in the town of Ridgway however the Home Trust is campaigning to the grow the fund to $250,000. We …
The Home Trust of Ouray County has applied for land acquisition funding through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Operation Turn-Key program. The two properties, one in Ouray and one in Ridgway, will provide rental and homeownership opportunities as well as an integrated child care facility. The Home Trust’s goal with this funding is to line projects up for …
In December 2021 the Home Trust of Ouray County received its first land donation thanks to Patrick and Marti O’Leary. The duplex lot is located in the Parkside subdivision in the town of Ridgway. We have partnered with Habitat for Humanity of the San Juans to be our general contractor and we are working with Impact Development Fund on architectural …
The Home Trust is officially a tax-exempt organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3) .
Some Home Trust Board members helped out with a Habitat for Humanity build day in Ridgway. We look forward to partnering with Habitat on future projects. We are happy to announce the launch of this website. New updates will appear here and through the mailing list when they become available.
