Montana now has 21 Resident Owned Communities (ROC) with the latest purchase of a manufactured home park in Lolo!
The homeowners who live in Two Rivers have bought the community from the previous owner, preserving 59 homes that will remain secure for years to come. Two Rivers has become a resident owned community (ROC) meaning the residents now own and manage their manufactured home park.
NWMT Executive Director, Kaia Peterson, was able to attend the closing earlier this week and had the opportunity to talk with Thomas Evans who serves as the community’s board president and Lynette Bryant who serves as treasurer. Evans has lived in the park for three years and Bryant since 2015.
Kaia asked each of them how they were feeling now that their community officially became a ROC. “Surreal. It’s kind of scary but also exciting! It’s nice to know that we now have control over what goes on in our community,” Lynette said. Thomas shared, “It makes me happy to be able to do this, not only for my family but for our little community and their families.”
ROCs preserve an important source of unsubsidized affordable housing for working families, seniors, and people with lower incomes. Owning a home in a community like this is typically half as expensive as renting an apartment and owning allows homeowners an opportunity to build wealth. Now the community residents can control their lot rent and be at ease knowing that their community will not be sold out from under them.
“This is now a place that the residents know is not going to be swept out from underneath of them or taken,” Thomas said.
NeighborWorks Montana guided the residents through the purchase process and will continue to support them as they build the skills and leadership they need to manage their community. In most manufactured-home parks, homeowners own their homes and pay lot rent to the park owner for the use of the land. In resident owned communities the lot rent goes to the resident cooperative and is managed to meet community needs, maintain affordability, and foster a sense of unity amongst the residents.
When asked what they are most looking forward to, Lynette exclaimed, “Getting the water and sewer fixed!” Thomas added, “Yes, especially for the residents who have been there longer and have been dealing with water and sewer issues for a while. It’s nice to be able to bring value to their front doorstep, so to speak. I think the improvements that come are going to enrich everyone’s lives.”
Lynette went on to talk about further improvements that may be made, stating, “And hopefully, all residents will see that we’re making improvements, that we care about the community and not just letting the community survive, but thrive.”
Former park owner, Dean Bohnsack, shared, “I bought the property 30 years ago thinking it would be a good development property, but then I got to know the people. Having owned it for so long I know the kids, parents, grandparents, and now even great-grandkids.”
Special Thanks
We especially appreciate the support of both Missoula County and Montana Housing. Missoula County provided a $310,000 grant, as well as a $100,000 loan toward the purchase. The primary mortgage was financed through the Coal Trust Multifamily Homes Program through Montana Housing. These funds helped make the purchase possible and kept the cost of lot rent affordable for the residents.
About Montana ROCs
Two Rivers is the 21st resident owned community in the state of Montana, with a total of 818 homes preserved across the state. Learn about all of the communities across Montana.
Are you a current park owner who is thinking about selling your park? NeighborWorks Montana has the financing, industry knowledge, and technical expertise to help your homeowners buy your community for its full value when you are ready to sell. View more information HERE or reach out to Danielle Maiden, [email protected].
About ROC USA
There are more than 320 ROCs in 21 states across the nation. NeighborWorks Montana provides the ROC program in Montana as part of the ROC USA® Network. The ROC USA® Network is made up of twelve non-profit affiliates across the country. The ROC program helps to provide safe, secure, and affordable housing in perpetuity, and it eliminates the risks for residents of rent increases or being evicted without cause.
