Around the Counter with Molly & Chelsi

Habitat for Humanity Greater Salt Lake addresses Utah’s housing crisis through zero-interest mortgages, sweat equity, critical home repairs, and legislative advocacy like the 21st Century Road to Housing Act. Executive Summary Buying a home in Salt Lake County now requires an estimated annual household income of $147,000, leaving roughly 91% of Utahns priced out of the traditional housing market. In this episode of Around the Counter with Molly & Friends, host Molly Jones sits down with Chelsi Chant, Director of Marketing and Development for Habitat for Humanity Greater Salt Lake, to break down what it really takes to transition local families from daydreaming to keys in hand. Moving beyond the traditional image of hammers and nails, Chelsi explains the modern multi-county impact of Habitat’s programs across Salt Lake, Davis, and Tooele counties. From zero-interest mortgage qualifications and 225 hours of family sweat equity to critical home repair programs that enable aging residents to stay in their homes safely, this conversation peels back “the machine under the hood” on how local non-profits build long-term community prosperity. They also dive deep into the economic engine of the Salt Lake Habitat ReStore, missing middle housing, urban developments like the Fleet Block project, and how grassroots policy advocacy helped shape major federal and state housing packages. Key Takeaways * The Utah Housing Math: Utah’s median home price currently requires an annual household income of $147,000, pushing the average age of first-time homebuyers to an all-time high of 40 years old. * Sweat Equity and Education: Families earning between 30% and 80% Area Median Income (AMI) complete 225 hours of sweat equity and financial literacy classes to earn an at-cost, zero-interest mortgage. * Aging in Place: Habitat’s critical repair program conducts 100-point safety inspections so elderly and disabled residents can safely maintain their homes and age in place. * The ReStore Economic Engine: The Habitat ReStore diverts tons of usable building materials from Utah landfills while generating funds for new home builds and emergency disaster relief. * Policy and Building: Grassroots advocacy in Washington, D.C. helped advance the federal 21st Century Road to Housing Act, complementing local Salt Lake City initiatives like the mixed-use Fleet Block development. *Executive Summary and key takeaways generated by AI and edited by humans. Podcast is purely human. Thanks for pulling up a stool. Want to grab a glass and join the conversation? Here’s how: * Love it: Hit that heart button to show you like this post. * Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s piece. * Restack: Share this out to your personal feed to help us expand our reach. * Share the warmth: If this resonated, feel free to forward it to a friend. We can also be found on Instagram, Threads, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Or, check out our 2026 midterm election prediction model, Tiny Model. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aroundthecounter.substack.com