ABOUT THE MOAB AREA COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
The Moab Area Community Land Trust (MACLT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community land trust serving the Moab community.
Founded in 2012, MACLT has been building the framework to ensure housing affordability for every family in the Moab area. The mission is to create permanent affordable housing by preserving land held in trust in Moab City, Grand County, and northern San Juan County.
A community land trust (CLT) is a nonprofit organization governed by a board of community members working to ensure permanently affordable housing opportunities for families and communities. CLTs acquire parcels of both developed and undeveloped land and hold them in trust with deed restrictions. As stewards of the land, CLTs develop and maintain attainable housing options in perpetuity, regardless of who or how many people own or rent the houses over time. MACLT is a member of the National Community Land Trust Network.
In 2017, the Moab Area Community Land Trust (MACLT), received a generous donation of land (41 acres) for permanently affordable housing in a development they created called Arroyo Crossing. In 2019, MACLT was awarded $4.3 million in New Market Tax Credits in order to construct infrastructure improvements needed in Arroyo Crossing to serve the 248 residential units and one community building in the first phase (there are 300 total units and 3 community buildings in the master plan). Additionally, local people and organizations have donated to the vision, knowing that a diverse population is key to the sustainability and quality of life of the Moab Community.
MACLT constructed horizontal improvements (utilities, roads, etc) in 2020 and began vertical construction on homes in late 2021.
Currently at Arroyo Crossing, 43 units are occupied. At the end of 2024, 51 homes will be filled and construction will be underway on the Confluence Cottages (tiny houses) and Skyline Arch Apartments.
HOW IT WORKS
MACLT acquires, owns, and stewards the land in perpetuity. The homeowner owns all the vertical improvements on the land (the home and any accessory structures on the lot). With each prospective homeowner, MACLT enters into a long-term, 99-year, renewable agreement to lease the land to the homeowner, rather than a traditional sale of the land to the homeowner. When the
homeowner sells, MACLT retains ownership of the land, the seller transfers ownership of the improvements to a buyer, and MACLT enters into a new lot lease agreement with the new buyer.
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The land lease model preserves affordability because it takes the land out of the cost of homeownership. Additional restrictions limit the resale price of the homes on the land. Both mechanisms work together to preserve housing affordability for longer than a traditional deed restriction or market rate unit could.
Arroyo Crossing is permanently affordable, even after the first homeowner. Because MACLT was able to obtain the land and build the infrastructure, that cost is saved and the family only has to purchase the home.
There are two ways that MACLT maintains affordability:
1. The price of land on which homes are built is protected from fluctuations in land market valuations by a legal ‘asset lock,’ and deed restrictions limit the price for which a CLT home can be resold.
2. MACLT sets the income-eligibility of the persons who may purchase the home. MACLT caps income-eligibility limits to households earning an income that is up to 120% of the community's Area Median Income.
The only subsidy is for the initial purchase and development of the land. Deed restrictions and asset locks maintain the affordability of homes, not ongoing loan or grant programs. Homeowners use individual mortgage financing like they would for a home purchased not in the land trust.
The organization supports the residents through the process of attaining and sustaining homeownership. In return, the homeowner agrees to sell the home at a resale-restricted and affordable price to another low-income homebuyer in the future. Consequently, the homeowner is able to successfully own a home while the organization is able to preserve the public’s investment in the affordable home permanently to help family after family.
Values
Permanent Affordability: We are committed to creating lasting positive impacts on the Moab community by creating and preserving permanently affordable housing options for individuals and families of varying income levels, ensuring that no one is priced out of the Moab community.
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Every home at Arroyo Crossing is deed-restricted through MACLT’s lot ground lease, which ensures that home prices and rental rates are affordable (only spending 30% of a household’s income on their housing costs) for every resident from day one, regardless of whether they are a renter or a homeowner. The lot ground lease includes a modest cap on equity growth over time, which allows homeowners to gain wealth while ensuring the home will continue to be affordable to the next buyer.
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Our model ensures that when homes are initially sold for $300,000, less than half the price of the median market rate home, they don't become an $800,000 home the next time they are resold. MACLT aims to flip the script on permanently affordable housing, prioritizing our units as a safe place to call home first, and an investment tool to grow wealth second.
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Arroyo Crossing offers a wide array of housing options for households of varying incomes and sizes. The subdivision includes single-family homes, twinhomes, townhomes, cottages (tiny homes), and apartments ranging from small 575 SF one-bedroom units to large 1,900 SF four-bedroom units. The subdivision is restricted such that it serves low- and moderate-income households, with 50% of units under 80% AMI, 75% under 100% AMI, and 100% of the units under 120% AMI.
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Holistic Sustainability: We prioritize initiatives that are environmentally and financially sustainable, minimizing our environmental impact while maximizing financial investments in projects that promote the long-term viability of our ecosystem, our community, and our organization.
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Arroyo Crossing includes rigorous design criteria and environmental sustainability standards to ensure our development does not use more energy and water resources than it needs to. These standards include the following:
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Design: Each unit must meet DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Requirements, a HERS Score of 50 or less, LEED for Passive Homes, Energy Star, Passive House, or two Living Building Challenge petals.
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Solar: Solar panels are encouraged, and developers must also consider passive solar design for each unit at Arroyo Crossing.
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Water: Greywater is encouraged, and secondary irrigation water is available at each lot at Arroyo Crossing for landscaping. No more than 25% of landscaping may include water-intensive plans like turf grass, and this kind of landscaping may only be watered with irrigation or greywater.
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MACLT prioritizes partnerships with local developers, and our partners are encouraged to use local materials and contractors to contribute to the expansion of a regional economy rooted in sustainable practices, products, and services.
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Our 99-year lot ground lease deed restrictions ensure that the initial subsidy contributed to MACLT projects are retained over time, resulting in a higher return on investment than one-time financial contributions in market-rate or non-CLT housing projects. Our restrictions are long-lasting and renew with each buyer to continue to protect the financial benefit to the community in perpetuity.
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Empathy and Empowerment: We recognize the humanity and dignity of every individual and family in need of affordable housing, and we work to empower every resident through education, resources, and opportunities to foster a sense of ownership and pride in their community.
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Our staff are working with residents of Arroyo Crossing to create a self-governing Resident Board to empower our residents to plan subdivision maintenance and improvement projects, to be better neighbors to each other, and to provide valuable input to the MACLT board about current and future needs.
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MACLT hosts regular educational workshops to teach residents valuable skills necessary for first-time homeownership, including landscaping design and maintenance, home repair and maintenance, financial literacy, and other important subjects.
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Arroyo Crossing includes a community garden, which is available to all residents to grow their own food to encourage self-reliance.
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MACLT is proud to partner with Mutual Self Help developers which utilize sweat equity work-trade programming to teach homeowners to build their own homes. This program educates households on the home building process from foundation to finish, which will help them understand how to repair and maintain their homes over time.
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MACLT and our development partners follow Fair Housing practices, ensuring every incoming resident has a fair chance at affordable housing, regardless of background.
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Adaptability and Collaboration: We remain flexible and adaptable to changing needs and circumstances, continuously seeking partnerships and innovative solutions to leverage resources and expertise to address Moab’s most critical housing challenges.
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As a data-driven organization, MACLT uses the 2023 Moab Area Affordable Housing Plan to determine the needs of the community and build units accordingly.
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MACLT and the Arroyo Crossing project would not exist without community partnerships. To date, we have partnered with the Housing Authority of Southeastern Utah, Community Rebuilds, Territorial Land Company, and Utah Housing Corporation to build housing units; and with Moab Community Gardens, the Student Career & Success Center, and the Youth Garden Project to create our community garden space. We have received invaluable support from Grand County over time to hire staff and create Arroyo Crossing.
STAFF
Kaitlin Myers
Executive Director
Kaitlin Myers is the Executive Director for the Moab Area Community Land Trust (MACLT) and oversees the development of the Arroyo Crossing subdivision. Her passion for the organization stemmed from four years of volunteer service on the MACLT board from 2017-2021, and she is the first paid staff member for the organization.
Kaitlin worked on affordable housing, economic development, and community development projects and policies for Grand County and Moab City for five years before transitioning into her role with MACLT. She currently serves on the board of the Utah Housing Coalition and is active with the Moab Area Housing Task Force and the Grand County Local Homelessness Council. Kaitlin holds a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida and a Certificate in Economic Development from Utah Valley University.
In her free time, Kaitlin enjoys rafting rivers, hiking canyons, and skiing slopes across the beautiful Colorado Plateau.
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Laura Harris
Development Manager
Laura serves as the Development Manager for MACLT, joining the team in January 2025. She will be assisting with developing Phases II and III of the Arroyo Crossing subdivision and expanding efforts with MACLT's housing development partners.
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Prior to working at MACLT, Laura spent 2.5 years at one of MACLT's community housing partners, the Housing Authority of Southeastern Utah (HASU), focusing on long-term affordable housing development, grant writing, and administering the Grand County High Density Housing Overlay workforce housing program. Her experience as a developer at the Arroyo Crossing subdivision lends itself to a deep understanding of project management and the working creatively to propel housing development forward.
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When not working, you can find Laura on a biking adventure, knitting near a body of water, or on a meandering desert romp.​​​
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BOARD MEMBERS
Joy Dannelly
Stewardship Manager
Joy serves as the Stewardship Manager for MACLT, joining the team in Winter 2025. Joy focuses on community engagement and neighborhood events, helping new homeowners through their closing and homebuying process, developing a stewarding community areas and gardens, and helps foster a more connected neighborhood for MACLT residents.
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Originally from Des Moines Iowa, Joy fell in love with Moab's red rock landscape, but ultimately it was the incredible Moab community that convinced her and her partner to buy their first home in Moab. In her previous work experience, Joy has served as an Outreach Coordinator at Grand County and as a Program Director for a women's outdoor company back in Iowa.
When not at work, you can find Joy either at home in her garden with her kitty and husband, or romping in her 4runner deep in the red rock desert.
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Shalee Holland
Chair
"With more than 20 years of experience in the finance industry, I bring a deep understanding of financial markets, client service and long-term planning to my role as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. My background spans banking, lending and investment strategy, allowing me to provide well-rounded guidance that helps clients make confident, informed financial decisions.
At Edward Jones, I partner with individuals, families, and business owners to create personalized strategies centered around what matters most to them. My approach is rooted in thoughtful planning, transparent communication, and a genuine commitment to helping people feel secure in their financial futures.
A major source of my passion for this work comes from my long-standing involvement in the community. Years of engaging with local initiatives, supporting small businesses, and collaborating with civic groups have given me a deep appreciation for the values and challenges that shape the lives of people in our area. These experiences have taught me the importance of listening and building meaningful, lasting relationships and qualities that guide how I serve my clients every day.
Outside the office, I value a full and active life. I enjoy spending time outdoors, staying active and taking advantage of the incredible natural beauty around our community. Family is at the center of everything I do, and some of my favorite moments are those spent with my loved ones, whether we are enjoying a quiet weekend together, celebrating milestones or simply being present for each other. I also love supporting local events, exploring new hobbies, and finding ways to stay connected to the place I proudly call home.
I am committed to offering intentional, personalized guidance and cultivating enduring relationships grounded in trust. By understanding what truly matters to my clients, I aim to help them move toward their goals with confidence."
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Brian Quigley
Vice Chair
Having spent his career in public lands management at the BLM, Brian became intimately familiar with the housing pressures his colleagues and neighbors have faced throughout the years. Now retired, Brian is committed to serving his community by contributing to the development of Arroyo Crossing and MACLT's scope. Brian joined the board in 2024 and serves as the Vice Chair.​​​​​​​
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Kara Stoner
Treasurer
Kara has been living in Moab since 2003 and has sat on the board since 2023. Kara has been in construction and landscaping since 2005 and currently holds General and Landscape Contractor License from the state of Utah (B100 and S330 respectively). Her knowledge from running her business Eco Logic, a high-performance design build firm, is key to helping MACLT understand the financials of development projects.
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Sheri Griffith
Board Member
Sheri is first and foremost a business owner, creating and running several businesses since her arrival to Moab in 1981.
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She was on the 1983 Economic Development Board when Moab was rebuilding from a crashed mining industry. Over the years, Sheri has served on the Utah Travel Council, Utah Department of Transportation, Governor’s Commission on Women and Families, and Utah Community Impact Board. She sat on the Governor’s steering committee for Rural Development, Governor’s Advisory Board on Women Business Development, and the Governor’s Task Force on Economic Development and the Environment. Her awards include Utah Women of Achievement presented by Governor Leavitt, Woman Business Leader by Utah Business Magazine, U.S. Conservation Service Award by Secretary of the Interior, and more. Sheri was elected President of Western River Guides Association and spent four years in and out of Washington, DC representing the outdoor industry of the West.
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Sheri is committed to the quality of life that Moab offers and managing all aspects that provide that quality and sustainability. Her dedication to this cause, in addition to her financial and business knowledge, make her an invaluable asset to the MACLT board.​
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Kya Marienfeld
Board Member
Kya moved to Moab in 2015 to work as an attorney for local conservation group, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, where she mixes legal, policy, and field work to protect wilderness-quality public lands throughout southern Utah, with a focus on direct engagement with public land managers.
Since becoming part of the Moab community, Kya has devoted most of her time and focus in volunteer roles to helping Moab residents find safe, secure, and affordable housing and to efforts that seek to maintain Moab's unique character as a small, supportive, and welcoming rural town.
Kya has experience interfacing with community and national non-profits, private landowners, grant administrators, and federal and state governmental entities, with a focus on legislative policy and long-term planning.
Kya currently serves as the Chair of the Moab City Planning Commission, a volunteer advisory board that helps support the City's goals of incentivizing and removing barriers to development of new affordable and attainable housing within city limits, and serves as the primary community engagement point for most of Moab City's planning and zoning decisions.
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Jordan Killen
Board Member
Jordan Killen is a financial advisor with over five years of experience, helping individuals and families plan for their futures through thoughtful guidance and strong, long-term relationships. After recently relocating to Moab with her family, she is excited to get involved in the community and support efforts that preserve and strengthen the place so many call home.
Jordan has been married for eight years and is a proud mom of two. When she’s not working, you’ll usually find her baking sourdough, spending time with her family, or out exploring everything southeastern Utah has to offer. She loves getting outside, whether that’s hiking local trails or just soaking in the scenery, and makes the most of living somewhere so beautiful.
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Samantha Derbyshire
Board Member
Samantha joined the MACLT board in February 2025, bringing a valuable perspective as a resident homeowner of Arroyo Crossing and one of its earliest residents. She built her home through a sweat equity housing program on MACLT land — giving her firsthand understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and life-changing impact that affordable housing provides in Moab. That lived experience, combined with her work as a small-business owner in a seasonal, tourism-driven economy, gives her a grounded perspective on community needs and deepens her commitment to MACLT's mission.
Samantha owns Whole Enchilada Shuttles, a mountain bike shuttle company she purchased in May 2023 after working with the company since August 2020. She is also a potter and owner of Emerald Koru Studio, where she creates and sells her work.
Deeply rooted in the Moab community, her volunteer roles span trail advocacy, the arts, and mentorship. She serves as Vice Chair of Grand County Trail Mix and co-organizes the annual Soup Bowl Fundraiser, a pottery fundraiser that benefits a different local nonprofit each year. Previously, she mentored youth through Grand Area Mentoring and volunteered as a DJ with KZMU for six years.
Samantha believes that maintaining affordable housing is vital to preserving the spirit and resilience that define Moab.
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Katie Gallagher
Board Member
Katie moved to Moab in 2020, trading her east coast life of sidewalks and trash for trails and tumbleweeds. Her work as the Housing Program Manager at the Moab Valley Multicultural Center has given her a unique understanding of the challenges, barriers and successes of housing in the Moab area. Her lifelong experiences as a Philadelphia sports fan, has taught her the skills of resilience and the importance of working through the hard times. During her time in Moab, she has worked with various Southeastern Utah government offices and local organizations to advocate for solutions accessible to the local population, specifically Moab's working class. Her experience as a social worker has inspired her to start nursing school at Utah State University Moab this fall. She brings an equal combo of grit, glam and game day stress to the MACLT board and looks forward to continuing to serve the affordable housing efforts in Moab as a board member.
HISTORY OF MACLT
MACLT is still a relatively young organization in the Moab area. Here are a few of our milestones so far.