ROC USA

ROC USA® is a national non-profit social enterprise that helps residents form limited equity cooperatives and purchase their Manufactured (“Mobile”) Home Communities. ROC USA represents more than 346 Resident Owned Communities (“ROCs”) and 22,000 member-owners in 21 states. ROC USA focuses on making market- and policy-based sector change to scale grassroots cooperative development and build a movement with low-income communities and homeowners. Our vision is for millions of families to thrive in resilient, resident-owned communities. 

ROC USA empowers homeowners to purchase the land beneath their homes by facilitating market development, negotiating with investor-owners, and providing financing through ROC USA® Capital, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Our national team and affiliated non-profits offer training and technical assistance, ensuring these cooperatives succeed. 

With 3 million individual homesites in 50,000 Manufactured Home Communities and ROC USA’s leadership in this market, ROC USA is well positioned to capitalize on the growing recognition of the importance of preserving these communities. With nearly 40 years of experience, we advocate for resident ownership at all levels of government.

Our journey begins with fostering a clear, shared understanding of the nature of work that is required to increase competency and the effectiveness of ROC USA and the network in addressing systematic and organizational challenges.

Residents in ROC USA communities, 89% of whom are low- or very low-income, have a voice in the national organization. Central to our vision for community power building is the ROC Association, which is made up of co-ops in the network. Co-ops elect 3 community leader Directors to the ROC USA Board of Directors and operate as a volunteer organization with a Board and 2 national committees. ROC USA supports the Association’s activities, including peer networking, grant making, and policy advocacy.

Performance and Impact 

Over 40 years, this resident ownership model has delivered in extraordinary ways for both low-income homeowners and investors, who have invested more than $1 billion. ROCs have proven to be remarkably resilient in strong and weak economic cycles.

• Homes in ROCs have been demonstrated to sell faster and for 16% more per square foot than comparable homes in comparable investor-owned communities, as the ROC model stabilizes site-fees, and the coop takes pride in their community and plans for needed capital improvements (2006, UNH). 
• Homeowners in ROCs report feeling more economically secure than homeowners in commercially owned Manufactured Home Communities. (2006, UNH) 
• Site fees in ROCs are $50 below market after five years of ownership and $100 per month below market after 10 years (2023, Colliers). 
• Sites fees in ROCs are raised 1% annually on average compared to 4 to 6% in commercially owned Manufactured Home Communities (2023 ROC USA and Colliers).