The St. Albans Messenger recently published a great profile of two mobile home parks in Franklin County that went directly to a cooperative model from private or for-profit ownership. The residents of both the ANDCO Mobile Home Cooperative in Highgate and Homestead Acres in Swanton have purchased the land that their properties sit on over the past three years, becoming two of the only cooperatively owned mobile home parks in the state of Vermont. Now that the residents of these parks are directly responsible for management and upkeep of the land, they have also found a greater sense of community within. Any mobile home park that is about to be sold has the potential to be cooperatively owned. Residents who are interested in purchasing their property may seek help from the Mobile Home Program run by the Champlain Valley Office of Econmic Opportunity. This program also provides a variety of other services for those who live in mobile homes or mobile home parks accross the state of Vermont. More information can be found on the program’s website or by phone at (802) 660-3455 x204. From the article HOUSING: Community Living – Resident-Owned Mobile Home Parks Foster Friendship:
In keeping with the American dream, home ownership is something most people want. Buying a home in a nice neighborhood that has community spirit – well, that’s pretty great, too. Two mobile home parks in Franklin County are proving both are possible for people on a tighter budget. ANDCO Mobile Home Cooperative, located off of Frontage Road in Highgate, and Homestead Acres, off of Bushey Road in Swanton, are cooperatively owned mobile home parks. In the past three years, the residents at each collectively bought the land their homes sit on, and now they are in charge of its management and upkeep. While a majority of both parks’ residents owned their mobile homes prior to the land purchase, recent door-to-door interviews with the Messenger revealed that joint ownership has added something new to each park. Not only are residents directly involved in their park through homeowners association meetings, voting on financial decisions or doing tasks like shoveling or mowing lawns, but they also come closer together, forming a real community.
Learn more about the journey these mobile home parks took toward becoming successful cooperatives by reading the full article by St. Albans Messenger staff writer Elodie Reed here.
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