Resident programs
ROC USA
ROC USA is a nonprofit that helps homeowners in manufactured home communities buy the land under their homes and run it as a resident-owned cooperative. It was founded in May 2008 by the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, Prosperity Now, and Capital Impact Partners, with sponsorship from NeighborWorks America, and is structured as an LLC whose members are those nonprofits plus the ROC Association, whose directors are elected by local ROC boards.
The model pairs technical assistance with financing. Regional nonprofit affiliates, called Certified Technical Assistance Providers in the ROC USA Network, help a resident group assess the opportunity, secure financing, run due diligence, form the cooperative, and train the board on governance and financial management. After the purchase, network experts stay with the community for at least 10 years, supporting community operations, financial oversight, regulatory compliance, and development.
Financing comes through ROC USA Capital, a U.S. Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution that lends only to resident-owned communities working with a network technical assistance provider. Its loans cover purchases, refinances, and renovation projects, plus forgivable pre-development loans for communities still considering resident ownership. ROC USA Capital has financed 122 ROCs, totaling $474 million; the largest ROC has 430 homes, and the first, in Meredith, New Hampshire, was purchased on June 1, 1984.
For a community owner, ROC USA is a buyer channel: the site publishes a route for owners who want to sell to their residents. Terms vary by transaction and nothing is published. Headquarters is at 6 Loudon Road in Concord, New Hampshire, with a second office in Washington, DC, and the main line is 603.513.2791.
Best for
Community owners weighing a sale who would consider selling to their residents, and homeowner groups in manufactured home communities that want coaching and financing to buy the community themselves.
What they do
- Resident purchase coaching and technical assistance
- Acquisition financing for resident cooperatives
- Refinance and renovation lending
- Forgivable pre-development loans
- Cooperative formation and governance training
- Post-purchase operations and compliance support
- Policy and advocacy for manufactured housing
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 |
| Ownership | Nonprofit |
| Other offices | Washington, DC |
| Licenses | U.S. Treasury certified CDFI (ROC USA Capital) |
What stands out
- Founded in May 2008 by three nonprofits, with sponsorship from NeighborWorks America.
- ROC USA Capital has financed 122 resident-owned communities, totaling $474 million.
- ROC USA Capital is a U.S. Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution.
- Network technical assistance providers stay with a community for at least 10 years after the purchase.
- Offices in Concord, New Hampshire and Washington, DC.
Common questions
- What is a resident-owned community?
- Homeowners form a nonprofit cooperative that buys the land and runs the community. Each household is a member with one vote, owns its own home individually plus an equal share of the land, and elects a board of directors. Monthly site fees cover expenses and are reinvested in the community, and the cooperative operates on a limited-equity basis.
- Who can borrow from ROC USA Capital?
- Only resident-owned communities working with a Certified Technical Assistance Provider in the ROC USA Network. Loans cover community purchases, refinances, and renovation projects, and forgivable pre-development loans are available to communities still considering resident ownership.