May 2026
An Impact Investment loan of $2.5 million has been made to the Hayden Municipal Housing Authority for the purchase of Pinyon Pines Mobile Home Community.
Preserving Affordable Housing in Hayden: YVCF Invests in Pinyon Pines Mobile Home Community
Access to safe, stable, and affordable housing is essential to the long‑term vitality of the Yampa Valley. When that stability is threatened, community‑driven solutions — supported by mission‑aligned capital — can make all the difference.
In 2025, residents of Pinyon Pines Mobile Home Community in Hayden faced uncertainty after the owner of the land underlying the Community received an unsolicited purchase offer. With many mobile home parks across Colorado being acquired by investors and rents rising rapidly, residents understood what was at stake: without intervention, they could lose not only their homes but a critical source of affordable housing for the town.
In response, residents organized and formed a cooperative to protect their community. To strengthen their ability to act, the Town of Hayden established the Hayden Municipal Housing Authority, allowing the cooperative to convey the right of purchase to a public entity focused on long‑term affordability and resident stability.
“No one should have to face housing insecurity, especially when you own your own home,” said Julia Roskam, a Pinyon Pines resident. “The residents of Pinyon Pines truly could not have made this purchase happen without the help of the Town of Hayden and the Municipal Housing Authority, as well as the various lenders required for funding the purchase. This purchase allows me and my husband to stay in Routt County and raise a family here. The peace of mind in knowing that we won’t ever be forced out of our own home is everything.”
A Collaborative Financing Solution
The preservation of Pinyon Pines is being made possible through a collaborative financing structure that brings together public, private, and philanthropic capital:
- Alpine Bank has provided a $4.25 million low‑cost loan to the Hayden Municipal Housing Authority.
- The Yampa Valley Community Foundation (YVCF) has provided a $2.5 million philanthropic loan from its Yampa Valley Housing Accelerator Fund, a revolving loan fund designed to unlock community‑scale housing solutions.
- A private donor contributed a $1.4 million philanthropic grant to the Hayden Housing Authority to enable the purchase.
- The Town of Hayden has contributed $100,000 in earnest money and has agreed to cover closing costs. The Housing Authority has also agreed to manage and finance the long-term capital improvements that are needed throughout the park.
These improvements include investments in roads, water, and sewer systems, as well as strengthened covenants and management practices — reinforcing the Town and Housing Authority’s commitment to maintaining housing affordability well into the future.
Why Pinyon Pines Matters
Pinyon Pines Mobile Home Community includes 63 homes, and its residents make up approximately 7% of Hayden’s total population. Preserving affordability at this scale is critical for a community of Hayden’s size.
“Pinyon Pines is home to a significant portion of our community,” said Mathew Mendisco, Town Manager of the Town of Hayden. “Preserving long‑term affordability here isn’t just about protecting housing — it’s about protecting the people who make Hayden what it is; a community. This partnership ensures residents can stay in their homes while the town invests in overdue infrastructure that benefits everyone. With rents as high as $1,700 in other areas we felt this opportunity to keep rents lower was an amazing opportunity for our housing authority. The request for assistance from the resident’s co-op solidified our direction for preserving this important affordable housing community.”
Mobile home communities represent a common form of naturally occurring affordable housing in rural communities. When they are lost to market pressures, the impacts extend far beyond individual households — affecting local schools, employers, and the stability of the broader community. Preserving Pinyon Pines helps ensure that Hayden remains a place where families, workers, and seniors can continue to live and thrive.
Impact Investing in Action
This investment builds on the Yampa Valley Community Foundation’s growing track record of using impact investing as a tool to preserve and expand affordable housing across the Yampa Valley. Through the Yampa Valley Housing Accelerator Fund, philanthropic dollars are recycled and redeployed, allowing each investment to generate impact again and again.
By pairing flexible capital with strong local partnerships, YVCF helps communities respond quickly when housing is at risk — keeping residents housed while strengthening long‑term community resilience.
To learn more about YVCF’s Impact Investment Program, go to: https://yvcf.org/impact-investing/