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Margaret Jones from Mountainside Community Cooperative in Maine will tell you herself how much of an advocate she is for manufactured housing and resident ownership. In fact, in this episode of Ownership Matters, Paul and Mike talk to Margaret about all the work she’s done for her community and beyond. From her recent appointment to Maine’s State Manufactured Housing Board to her involvement in the tour of Mountainside Community during the push for the PRICE Fund in 2022, she has been busy and continues to be passionate about advocacy work. She doesn’t hesitate to encourage her fellow manufactured home residents and ROC leaders to join her in the good fight. Listen in to get a taste of what Margaret does, and what all ROC leaders can do with a mindset like hers! More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

Paul and Mike ring in the new year with Season 4 of Ownership Matters! As always, the first episode of the season takes us back to the previous year. Our co-hosts discuss the big events of 2023 - the continued success of PRICE Initiative efforts, more ROCs joining the network, and ROC Association's involvement at the I'm HOME Conference in Chicago. They discuss some of their favorite podcast guests and look forward to some of the changes 2024 will bring, including new leadership for ROC USA and the continued movement of the organization's new subsidiary, Integrity Community Solutions. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

Paul and Mike take this episode of Ownership Matters in a different direction than usual, with Paul taking the guest seat to answer questions about ROC USA’s new wholly owned subsidiary, Integrity Community Solutions, and what’s happening to his role down the line. Integrity Community Solutions (ICS) was created with the same vision in mind as ROC USA – preserving manufactured home communities through resident ownership. Paul recently announced his decision to step down as President of ROC USA to become the CEO of ICS. Listen in to hear more about ICS and what it does, the thought that went into Paul’s big decision, and what it means for the future of ROC USA and the network. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

When her community started the process of becoming a co-op, Allie Lechner was skeptical. With her background in property management, she wasn’t sure it was going to work out. Flash forward six years, she is now on the board at the flourishing Zumbro Ridge Estates in Rochester, Minn. and has taken many steps to ensure the community is successful and thriving. In this episode, Allie takes Paul and Mike through her work with infill, fundraising for a playground, and creating a community pantry. She started this journey on the sidelines and with a change of mindset became a deeply involved member of her community. It took work, perseverance, and hope, but Allie’s experiences at Zumbro Ridge Estates can serve as encouragement for other communities and individuals looking to make improvements and wanting to become more involved. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

George “Mac” McCarthy, President and CEO of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, brings to the table a well-informed outlook on resident ownership. Fueled by his education and experience in economics, Mac delves into conversation with Paul and Mike about the changing views around manufactured housing, his relationships with and advice to owners of manufactured homes – co-ops in particular – and what needs to happen within the housing market to improve conditions and promote resident ownership going forward. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

Carol Hodgkins from Wardtown Mobile Home Cooperative in Freeport, Maine and Stephen Hamlin from North Avenue Cooperative in Burlington, Vt., join us to discuss their experiences hosting tours in their communities. ROC USA® saw significant change and progress in 2022, and the PRICE Fund was a big part of this. Two years of hard work from community Members around the country led to the program’s inclusion in the Omnibus Appropriations Bill that Congress passed in December. The community tours made an impactful difference. ROCs from Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, hosted congressional staffers and officials to garner support for the PRICE Fund. Carol and Stephen reflect on what those tours accomplished and what they envision for the future of the PRICE Fund. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

Both Butch and Debbie moved into their communities years before they became ROCs. Today, they are happily reaping the benefits of becoming resident owned, in large part by participating in ROC USA’s online training platform called ROCKET. This platform is free to ROC Members and boasts a variety of different sessions, from mental wellness to board training. Listen in to hear more about what ROCKET offers all ROC Members, how the trainings have benefited Butch and Debbie in their personal lives and within their communities, and the new opportunities available now and coming soon. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether

Twenty-two years ago, Andrea Levere met Paul Bradley for the first time, before ROC USA was established. Paul worked at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and proposed an idea for the Corporation for Enterprise Development’s grant program, where Andrea was the vice president. Just seven years after CFED, which today is Prosperity Now, invested in Paul’s idea, ROC USA was founded and Andrea became the chair of the ROC USA Board. Now, fifteen years after ROC USA’s start, Andrea reflects on how it all began, discussing the time and effort involved and the fun that was had amid the hard work. She reminisces about and raises up ROC leaders she’s had the pleasure of interacting with, and she looks to the future, projecting more great things to come at ROC USA.

In the latest episode of Ownership Matters, Paul Bradley and Mike Bullard reflect on the exciting things that happened in 2022. They discuss the PRICE Initiative and other great achievements, changes in ROC USA and ROC Association, their favorite podcast episodes from the year, and what they’re hopeful for in 2023.

When John Egan excused himself from a meeting for a moment as his community was discussing becoming a co-op, he didn’t expect to come back and hear himself announced as the President of the community’s interim Board. But that’s exactly what happened at what is now Animas View MHP Co-op in Durango, Colorado. And after that abrupt entry into ROC leadership, here he is now, almost two years later, joining us as one of three ROC Association Board Directors! In this episode of Ownership Matters, John takes us through what inspired him to put his hat in the ring for Board Director, his involvement in government and how that experience helped his community in the process of becoming a resident owned community, his passion for helping other people, and more. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether Learn More about the ROC Association at rocassociation.org

When Mary O'Hara joined ROC USA, it was just getting started as a national organization trying to scale the success of Resident Owned Communities nationwide. Fourteen years later, Mary has been promoted to Executive Vice President for ROC Movement and is empowering ROC leaders to become movement leaders. In this episode of Ownership Matters, Mary takes a look back at 14 years of history and tells us more about her new role supporting the ROC Association! More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether Learn More about the ROC Association at rocassociation.org

You've probably heard it before, but the very first Resident Owned Community came about as the result of a graduate student project. Today, we're joined by the professor of that class, Michael Swack! Michael is a professor at the University of New Hampshire and directs the Center for Impact Finance and the master's program in community development, which he designed for adult practitioners. Michael has also been involved in the design, implementation, and management of a number of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), including the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund! He's a proud member of the ROC USA Board of Directors, and he joins us on Ownership Matters to talk about the history and importance of CDFIs, and why the resident ownership movement is so important. More information, including show notes and links, at rocusa.org/ownershipmatters Follow ROC USA: Twitter: @rocusaorg Facebook: @rocusa.bettertogether