DAVIS, Calif.–Efforts to preserve affordable housing and homeownership will soon begin in California, as California Cooperative Development Center (CCCD) has joined the ROC USA® Network.
CCCD will begin assisting homeowners in manufactured housing communities (sometimes called ‘mobile home parks’) in California, a state where affordable housing is becoming increasingly harder to find. They become the 11th ROC USA Network Affiliate nonprofit and join fellow west coast affiliates in CASA of Oregon, ROC Northwest (Washington) and LEAP ROC (Idaho).
“CCCD is great fit for the ROC USA Network,” said ROC USA Network Director Mary O’Hara. “The Network has created 264 resident owned communities and secured the homes of over 18,000 homeowners in 17 states. California needs a ROC USA Network affiliate and the state is actively supporting our efforts through its Mobile Home Park Rehab & Resident Ownership Program (MPRROP).”
MPRROP is a program of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Its purpose is to preserve affordable manufactured home communities by converting ownership of parks to resident organizations, nonprofit housing sponsors, or local public entities.
Over 500,000 homes in California are factory-built, representing 3.7% of the housing stock in the state. Communities in California average 131 homes, with 1,370 all-ages communities and 851 age-restricted communities.
With California’s median home value of $640,000, manufactured housing provides a form of unsubsidized affordable housing in an otherwise increasingly unaffordable housing market.
CCCD is already working with several communities where either community owners or residents are anxious to complete a resident cooperative purchase. While manufactured home cooperatives are not new to California, by joining ROC USA Network, CCCD will provide the opportunity to purchase to less-affluent communities by pairing ROC USA® Capital financing with MPPROP financing, making it possible all homeowners to participate.
“We are very excited to join the ROC USA Network because it allows CCCD to help expand cooperative ownership opportunities for manufactured home communities,” said E. Kim Coontz, Executive Director of CCCD. “Helping communities to co-own the land under the homes they own will provide them security from the vulnerabilities of renting and will preserve valuable affordable housing in California.”
CCCD was incorporated in 2007 and supports the myriad of cooperatives in California (agricultural, arts and crafts, childcare, energy, housing, worker-owned, etc.) with start-up, management, and other technical assistance.
CCCD’s team specializing in manufactured housing cooperative development will consist of Coontz, Assistant Director Luis Sierra, Cooperative Business Specialist Jamie Duong, and a new position specializing in market development.
“ROC USA systems broaden the capacity of CCCD’s team to utilize our cooperative development experience to support communities through the conversion to resident ownership and beyond. Additionally, the financing available from ROC Capital boosts residents position as valued buyers when park owners are ready to sell,” added Coontz.