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Sunrise Villa, created in 2004 with the help of NCDF, was the first manufactured housing co-op in Minnesota.

Northcountry Cooperative Foundation is re-envisioning affordable housing. The Housing Department works to develop sustainable manufactured home park cooperatives so that residents of parks can improve their quality of life and increase self-sufficiency.

There are more than 1,000 resident-owned manufactured home communities across the United States. In New Hampshire alone, the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund (NHCLF) has helped to create over 80 resident-owned parks. In the Midwest, Northcountry Cooperative Foundation has successfully helped residents in two manufactured home parks incorporate as cooperatives and purchase their park—Sunrise Villa Cooperative in Cannon Falls, MN, and Paul Revere Cooperative in Lexington, MN. Northcountry Cooperative Foundation works closely with manufactured home park residents who wish to become a cooperative to:

• Negotiate for site control of the park,

• Prepare development and operating budgets, and train residents in managing park budgets,

• Oversee infrastructure assessments and capital improvements,

• Arrange financing,

• Prepare legal and organizational documents, and

• Train residents in sound cooperative governance practices.

When residents own a share in a cooperative that owns the land underneath their manufactured home, they have control over everything that happens in the park:

• Residents have confidence that the park won't be sold out from underneath them,

• Residents are in control of lot fees,

• Residents are in control of park rules

• Residents have the power to vote to make improvements in the park, like installing locking mailboxes, fixing bad roads or water lines, or building a playground for community children

• Residents gain valuable experience by participating in the co-op by serving on the Board, on a committee, or simply volunteering

• Residents have the support of their neighbors

Links:
Greenwood becomes Bennett Park Cooperative
Sunrise Villa and Paul Revere Cooperatives: Taking pride in shaping their futures

Letter of Support for the Paul Revere Cooperative from Governor Tim Pawlenty

Sunrise Villa now co-op owned by residents (Cannon Falls Beacon 10/21/04)

New Hampshire Community Loan Fund

You can help give residents of manufactured home parks in the Upper Midwest a chance for stability, self-sufficiency, and empowerment by investing in NCDF or donating to the Foundation. For more information on how to get a loan, invest, or donate, call (612) 331-9103 or email info@ncdf.coop.

This institution is an Equal Opportunity provider. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal law.

Copyright © Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund
219 Main Street SE, Suite 500, Minneapolis, MN 55414
Office Phone: (612) 331-9103; fax: (612) 331-9145; general e-mail: info@ncdf.coop