Landlords earn skis, fitness passes in workforce rental incentive program

The Workforce Employer Rental Incentive Program (WE RIP), now in its third year, aims to increase affordable housing options for local workers during the busy winter season.

Finding seasonal housing in Park City can be difficult, given the high cost of living and the abundance of short-term rentals.

Mountainlands Community Housing Trust Executive Director Jason Glidden said the program works to fill that hole.

“It’s a program that we created a couple years ago that we modeled from another ski resort or another resort community that looks to really incentivize locals to open up spaces for seasonal workforce to come in,” Glidden said. “There’s not a lot of programs, federal or state, that really focuses on seasonal employees. So this is just one way that we can help to incentivize that.”

Qualifying landlords who provide housing can earn Rossignol alpine or nordic skis and bindings, along with a one-week pass to HOTWORX, a fitness studio in Kimball Junction.

The Park City Chamber and Visitors Bureau also sponsors the rental incentive program.

To qualify, landlords must provide at least a three-month lease. They can charge up to $1,000 a month per room or $1,500 a month for a studio or one-bedroom apartment. The maximum rent for a shared room is $750.

Glidden says rentals must also be near public transit, either bus lines or micro transit.

“We would encourage anyone to apply,” Glidden said. “We can work with you as a landlord.”

The deadline for landlords to apply is Nov. 15.

Incoming workers and prospective tenants can view all available rentals on Mountainlands’ website.

Glidden says the nonprofit is also seeking additional sponsors for the program online.