Affordable housing and good infrastructure are pressing needs. For some homeowners, both are under threat. Manufactured homes (often still called “mobile homes”) make homeownership possible for many in our region. But while manufactured home community residents may own their homes, typically they are only renting the ground those homes sit on. That leaves owners vulnerable to several threats, including neglected improvement for roads, water, electric, and wastewater systems, as well as unexpected rent increases.
There’s good news. Resident Owned Communities, or “ROC’s” are the solution. A ROC is where the residents of a manufactured home communities come together to form a cooperative corporation, purchase the land their homes sit on, and take charge of their community together.
Why does this matter? Manufactured home resident’s control of their neighborhood conditions is good for everyone. Our entire community improves when we have well-managed, ROC’s next door. And it matters now because there’s an important legislation now moving through Congress. The “Housing is Infrastructure Act of 2021” contains provisions that would greatly improve conditions in communities like ours here and around the U.S. Our elected officials who care about community conditions should support and promote the bill.
Lorie Cahill
Kalispell