About ROC USA
ROC USA is a national nonprofit social enterprise and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that works to preserve and expand affordable homeownership in manufactured home communities across the United States. Residents in these communities typically own their homes but not the land beneath them—and despite the term “mobile homes,” these homes are rarely mobile. When communities are sold, often to private equity investors, new owners can raise lot rents or redevelop the land, putting residents at risk of displacement and stripping away hard-earned wealth.
ROC USA and our Network of nine Certified Technical Assistance Providers (CTAPs) exist to change this dynamic. Through the resident-owned community (ROC) model, we support residents so they can collectively purchase their communities and govern them as cooperatives. This ensures that the value generated in the community stays with residents—supporting affordability, reinvestment, stability, and long-term wealth building for low- and moderate-income homeowners. ROC USA and our Network have supported the creation of 359 ROCs (or “resident owned communities”) across 22 states, preserving over 24,400 homes as affordable for households at or below 80% AMI and enabling ROCs to access $1B in community financing.
To support the success of ROCs nationwide, we provide training, tools, and peer learning for CTAPs, pre- and post-purchase technical assistance for every ROC either directly or through the CTAPs, and community financing to ROCs through our CDFI.
With a staff of 32 and growing, ROC USA has an operating budget of approximately $8 million. We have over $287 million of total assets and approximately $350 millions of assets under management.
ROC USA Capital
This position is a senior leadership role in ROC USA Capital, a wholly owned subsidiary of ROC USA and a certified CDFI providing acquisition financing and other capital to ROCs nationwide. ROC USA received an A plus Aeris rating in 2025 and three stars for impact performance.
ROC USA operates one of the largest financing platforms dedicated to resident-owned communities. Since 2008, we have provided over $550 million in financing to ROCs, leveraging our balance sheet with loan participations. To broaden our reach, ROC has created a national ($47M) and a Colorado-based ($45M) prospective loan participation pool. Capital comes from foundations, banks, impact investors, pension funds, and government sources.
The 120 ROCs that ROC USA Capital has financed are home to more than 9,500 households — 87% of whom report annual incomes below 80% of area median income and 61% of whom report incomes of 50% or lower of area median income.
Position Overview
ROC USA Capital is seeking a transaction-focused Legal Counsel to support its community development lending activities. This role is best suited for an attorney who excels at executing real estate lending transactions, managing legal due diligence, and supporting borrower compliance across a growing national portfolio.
The Legal Counsel will serve as a key partner to the lending team, supporting loan closings from diligence through execution, and contributing to the efficient structuring and administration of loan participations with external capital partners.
This is a hands-on role in a lean, mission-driven environment, requiring strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple transactions simultaneously.
Loan Closing & Transaction Execution (Primary Focus)
• Draft, review, and negotiate loan documents, including:
– Loan agreements, promissory notes, and security instruments
– Guarantees, subordination agreements, and intercreditor agreements
• Manage legal due diligence, including:
– Borrower entity formation, authority, and governance
– Title, survey, and real estate documentation
• Coordinate all legal aspects of loan closings with:
– Internal lending staff
– Borrower counsel
– Title companies and escrow agents
• Ensure transactions are executed efficiently and in alignment with internal policies and investor requirements
Borrower Compliance & Portfolio Legal Support
• Support post-closing legal matters, including:
– Consents, waivers, and loan modifications
– Ongoing borrower compliance with loan agreements
• Assist with documentation and legal review related to:
– Defaults, restructurings, and enforcement actions
• Help ensure consistency and compliance across the loan portfolio
• Collaborate with asset management and servicing teams on legal aspects of portfolio oversight
Loan Participation & Capital Execution
ROC USA Capital operates a participation-based lending model in which:
• Capital is raised to the balance sheet
• Loans are originated to resident-owned cooperatives
• Approximately 70% of each loan is sold to participation partners (e.g., banks, CDFIs, impact investors)
• ROC USA Capital retains approximately 30% and continues to service and manage the full loan
Within this model, Legal Counsel will:
• Draft and negotiate participation-related documentation, including:
– Loan participation agreements
– Participation purchase and sale agreements
– Intercreditor and servicing agreements
• Support the execution of participations with existing capital partners by:
– Translating loan terms into participation structures
– Ensuring alignment between loan documents and participation agreements
• Coordinate with internal capital and finance teams to:
– Implement participation transactions efficiently post-closing
– Ensure compliance with partner requirements and policies
• Assist with ongoing administration of participation relationships, including:
– Amendments, assignments, and transfers
– Documentation updates tied to servicing and reporting requirements
• Contribute to the development and refinement of standardized participation templates and processes to support scalable capital deployment
Note: This role supports execution and management of participation relationships and does not involve sourcing or fundraising from capital partners.
Legal Risk Management & Outside Counsel Coordination
• Identify and escalate legal risks within transactions and portfolio activities
• Support engagement and oversight of outside counsel when needed
• Assist in managing scope, timelines, and budgets for external legal providers
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of standardized legal templates and documentation
Qualifications
Required
• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing
• Min of 6–10 years of legal experience in commercial real estate finance, banking, or community development lending
• Demonstrated experience supporting real estate lending transactions through closing
• Strong working knowledge of:
– Loan documentation and secured transactions
– Title and survey review
– Multi-party deal structures
• Ability to manage multiple transactions simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Comfortable working in a collaborative, mission-driven, and evolving environment
Preferred
• Experience working with CDFIs, housing nonprofits, or mission-driven lenders
• Working knowledge of affordable housing finance tools (e.g., HUD programs, state/local housing programs).
What Else You Should Know
ROC USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.
ROC USA has established an annual salary range of $150K to $180K for the Senior Legal Counsel position. Compensation also includes a comprehensive benefits package.
Application Instructions
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter, sharing your interest in the position, via ROC USA’s Application Form.