Today, it’s well known that a good home is hard to find. A nationwide housing shortage exists not only in urban areas, but in many rural communities as well. In towns and villages across the country, many working families struggle to find a safe and comfortable place to live. Many younger people can’t find a starter home within financial reach. Many older adults can’t find an accessible, right-sized home in which to spend their retirement years.

Addressing the housing shortage will require a variety of approaches. This session will explore a particular model that has demonstrated success but is often overlooked in conversations about rural housing policy. A resident-owned community (ROC) is a manufactured housing neighborhood owned and operated by the people who live there. ROCs provide a stable and high-quality homeownership option that’s financially self-supporting.

Session attendees will visit Tanglewood Estates, an ROC located in Keene. They’ll experience first-hand what ROCs are all about, what makes their formation possible, and how residents step up to assume leadership responsibilities. The session will feature remarks by the NH Community Loan Fund, a non-profit lender that provides financing and technical assistance to ROCs across the state. ROC leaders from other parts of the country will join us to provide a national perspective on ROCs—the positive impact they’re having today and what the future holds in store. Attendees will also learn about creative strategies that ROCs are taking to realize savings from renewable energy and increased efficiency, thereby making ROCs an even more cost-effective form of housing.