ROC USA Organizing, Training, and Technical Assistance Principles
Trust is at the root of all effective relationships. An empowered membership is critical to building thriving neighborhoods and organizations. Information is shared openly with all members of the Board of Directors and, when it is not the subject of a personal or confidential nature, with all members.
Our role is to develop options for consideration by the appropriate decision-making body within the Resident-Owned Community and not one of imposing our choices.
We support the creation of a democratic framework and coach fair democratic process and dispute resolution.
Resident-Owned Communities are encouraged and trained in how to hire and oversee third-party service providers for legal representation, engineering services, and auditing. Templates and information are furnished to make efficient use of these third parties and not as a substitute.
Homeowners form corporations wherein directors have fiduciary and other duties to uphold. Our work must respect those duties in order for them to exist.
We only support entities whose policies do not discriminate, and whose membership is open to all homeowners in the community regardless of their income level, age, gender, sexual orientation, race, religious creed, color, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, or national origin.
The best long-term interest of the resident-controlled corporation as a community and borrower are our primary goals. When our role as a trainer and a lender are in conflict, we openly discuss our position with the Board of Directors and membership, as appropriate, and encourage them to consult third-party professionals privately on the issue.
Long-term health and sustainability requires teaching respect and understanding of the organization and its Articles, Bylaws, Rules, and Policies.
The respect and de-stigmatization of manufactured housing and the people who live in it is vital to the success of Resident-Owned Communities. We demonstrate our respect through our words, actions, inclusion, and sharing the credit.