What We Do
ROC Northwest – Residents
ROC Northwest is a program of the Northwest Cooperative Development Center focused on building affordable housing through cooperative ownership in Washington and North Idaho using the ROC-USA model.
Overview
The ROC Northwest program is an affiliate of ROC USA, using a limited equity cooperative model to establish resident owned communities (ROCs) in manufactured housing communities. ROC Northwest has a team of certified technical assistance providers that work with resident members to secure the purchase of their community and navigate park ownership post purchase.
The ROC Northwest program does not own any manufactured housing communities, they are owned by the cooperative corporation.
ROC Resident Member Perspective
Frequently Asked Questions
Preguntas Frecuentes
When does ROC Northwest get involved?
When an owner of a property intends to explore selling, they are legally required to notify the residents and the Department of Commerce, who in turn notifies any eligible organizations. As an eligible organization, NWCDC receives these notices from the Department of Commerce and reaches out to the seller requesting information on the park.
If a property is determined feasible for cooperative purchase, which requires financial information from the seller, NWCDC negotiates and makes an offer to the seller. If the seller accepts the offer, the purchase and sale agreement will be executed between the Seller and NWCDC, assignable to the resident cooperative once incorporated.
After this point, a meeting is scheduled with the residents to explain the process of what cooperative acquisition would look like, and if the residents vote in favor, continue towards that goal.
Without a notification from the Department of Commerce, a willing and communicative seller, and a property that has passed the feasibility review, NWCDC cannot provide cooperative support to a community of residents.
Do I need to reach out to ROC Northwest to start the feasibility review process?
No, when residents receive a notification that a property is on sale, eligible organizations, such as NWCDC, also receive this notification. This automatically prompts the feasibility review process.
How do I know if my property passed the feasibility review?
If a property passes feasibility review and NWCDC and the seller are able to negotiate a price that is affordable to the residents, NWCDC will schedule a meeting with the residents. In the case that the seller does not accept any offers from NWCDC or if the park does not pass the feasibility review, the feasibility tracker on our website will be updated to reflect this. You can also view if a property is under review, or if we are waiting on information from the seller through this tracker.
Do we need to form a cooperative or resident organization ourselves?
After a property passes feasibility review and an offer is accepted, NWCDC will walk you through everything needed to form a cooperative, including forming a board of directors, incorporating the organization, creating community rules and bylaws, and everything else a healthy cooperative needs to thrive. No action is needed until ROC Northwest reaches out to set up the first meeting.
What should I do if my property does not pass feasibility review?
In the case that a property is not feasible through our model, this does not prevent you as the residents to organize, incorporate as a business, and submit an offer. If anything changes, we will update you in a timely manner.
¿Cuándo se involucra ROC Northwest?
Cuando un propietario de una comunidad tiene la intención de explorar la venta, está legalmente
obligado a notificar a los residentes y al Departamento de Comercio, quien a su vez notifica a las organizaciones elegibles. Como organización elegible, NWCDC recibe estos avisos del Departamento de Comercio y se comunica con el vendedor para solicitar información sobre el parque. Si se determina que una propiedad es viable para la compra cooperativa, lo cual requiere información financiera del vendedor, NWCDC negocia y hace una oferta al vendedor. Si el vendedor acepta la oferta, se ejecuta un acuerdo de compra y venta entre el vendedor y NWCDC, el cual puede ser asignado a la cooperativa de residentes una vez incorporada. Después de este punto, se programa una reunión con los residentes para explicar el proceso de cómo sería una adquisición cooperativa y, si los residentes votan a favor, continuar hacia esa meta. Sin una notificación del Departamento de Comercio, un vendedor dispuesto y comunicativo, y una propiedad que haya pasado la revisión de viabilidad, NWCDC no puede brindar apoyo cooperativo a una comunidad de residentes.
¿Necesito comunicarme con ROC Northwest para iniciar el proceso de revisión de viabilidad?
No. Cuando los residentes reciben una notificación de que una propiedad está en venta, las organizaciones elegibles, como NWCDC, también reciben esta notificación. Esto automáticamente inicia el proceso de revisión de viabilidad.
¿Cómo sé si mi propiedad pasó la revisión de viabilidad?
Si una propiedad pasa la revisión de viabilidad y NWCDC y el vendedor pueden negociar un precio que sea asequible para los residentes,
NWCDC programará una reunión con los residentes. En caso de que el vendedor no acepte ninguna oferta de NWCDC o si el parque no pasa la revisión de viabilidad, el rastreador de viabilidad en nuestro sitio web se actualizará para reflejar esta información. También puede ver, a través de este rastreador, si una propiedad está bajo revisión o si estamos esperando información del vendedor.
¿Necesitamos formar nosotros una cooperativa de residentes?
Después de que una propiedad pasa la revisión de viabilidad y se acepta una oferta, NWCDC lo guiará en todo lo necesario para formar una cooperativa, incluyendo la formación de una junta directiva, la incorporación de la organización, la creación de reglas comunitarias y estatutos, y todo lo demás que una cooperativa saludable necesita para prosperar. No se requiere ninguna acción hasta que ROC Northwest se comunique para programar la primera reunión.
¿Qué debo hacer si mi propiedad no pasa la revisión de viabilidad?
En caso de que una propiedad no sea viable según nuestro modelo, esto no impide que ustedes, como residentes, se organicen, se incorporen como un negocio y presenten una oferta. Si algo cambia, les informaremos oportunamente.
Understanding the Opportunity to Purchase (OTP)
WASHINGTON STATE Residents - 7 Steps To Resident Ownership
For more information on each step, printable fact sheets, and videos click here.
1. Respond To Owner Letter With Purchase Offer – ROC Northwest has been helping cooperatives purchase their community since 2008. ROC Northwest will review several key factors to determine the feasibility of a cooperative purchase. If possible, ROC Northwest will submit an offer to the Seller. To help show the Seller that the residents can really purchase their park, the agreement will be executed by ROC Northwest and then signed over to the cooperative.
2. Organize A Community Meeting – If the offer is accepted, all residents in the park need to know there is a path to resident ownership and be given the opportunity to ask questions. At this meeting residents will be given information about the resident owned community (ROC) program. They will also be given a draft budget that shows how much it would cost to purchase the park.
3. Get Members and Votes – All residents who are homeowners are given the opportunity to join the cooperative and then vote to form a housing cooperative. Residents are NOT voting to buy the park at this time, just simply organizing as a group to accept assignment of the purchase contract.
4. Set The Interim Board of Directors and Adopt Articles of Incorporation – The cooperative is represented by a five person Board of Directors. These are the residents that will work with ROC Northwest to review documents and will be the main point of contact in the community. Nominations for the Board are taken during the vote to form a cooperative. The Board then needs to sign the Articles of Incorporation to register as a business with the Secretary of State. This is simply a document that describes the business and its purpose.
5. Execute Due Diligence, Secure Financing and Adopt Policies – IF the owner accepts the offer this will be the time to do a physical inspection of the park, determine what work needs to be done in the park and how much it will cost, and get the loan. During this time the Board of Directors will also create community rules, bylaws, and other essential policies.
6. Purchase the Park – After all of the inspections are complete and the loan is finalized, the cooperative will purchase the park! This requires a “yes” vote from 80% of the residents. It is important to remember that the cooperative business is purchasing the park and getting the loan, NOT the residents.
7. Own and Operate the Park! – After the cooperative purchases the park, ROC Northwest will help the Board of Directors with the complex task of being the voice of the land owner. ROC Northwest will be available to answer questions and provide assistance for at least 10 years.
NORTH IDAHO Residents - 10 Steps To Resident Ownership
For more information including a deeper understanding of the ROC model, printable resources for each step to ownership, and informational videos visit the WA Department of Commerce (English Resources) and (Recursos en Español).
1. Organize A Community Meeting –All residents in the park need to know that there is a path to resident ownership and given the opportunity to ask questions. If you and your neighbors form an organization, then Idaho Statue Chapter 55 Title 2013A means that your park owner has to tell you when they plan on selling. If the owner selects your organization as the buyer, they receive fair market value for the land through a bank that will give the organization the loan.
2. Get Votes and Members – All of the residents are given the opportunity to join the cooperative as members and then vote to incorporate as a limited equity housing cooperative. Residents are NOT voting to buy the park at this time, just simply organizing as a housing cooperative. To move to the next step there needs to be at least 51% of the residents join the cooperative.
3. Form The Board of Directors and Adopt Articles of Incorporation – The housing cooperative is represented by a five person Board of Directors. Nominations for the Board are taken during the vote to incorporate. The Articles of Incorporation are needed to register with the Secretary of State.
4. Incorporate – This is easiest step and is done online.
5. Inform The Owner – This is done by a certified letter that states that the housing cooperative is formed and interested in purchasing the park if, and when, they want to sell.
6. Organize a Membership Meeting (Annually) – The cooperative bylaws state that there needs to be an annual meeting to review any finical documents and act on any new business like keeping the owner informed of the intent to purchase.
7. Respond To Owner Letter With Purchase Offer – If, and when, the owner sells the park they must tell the cooperative. Time Is of the essence and an offer must be submitted quickly.
8. Execute Due Diligence and Adopt Policies – IF the owner accepts the offer this will be the first time that real financial information is available. This will also be the time to create community rules and other essential policies.
9. Purchase the Park – After all of the inspections are complete and the loan package is finalized, the cooperative will purchase the park! This requires a vote from 80% of the membership.
10. Own and Operate the Park! – After the cooperative purchases the park, ROC Northwest will help the Board of Directors with the complex task of being the voice of the land owner. ROC Northwest will be available to answer questions and provide assistance for at least 10 years.
