Homestead Acres originally opened in the late 1950s and is now a 30-site, resident-owned manufactured home community.
But that transition didn’t happen overnight. We formed the Homestead Acres Cooperative, Inc. and started on the path to resident-ownership in early 2011. That’s when, with the help of Cooperative Development Institute and ROC USA, LLC, we purchased and took control of our community on Dec. 1, 2011.
Now, the resident-owned community (ROC) is not only a successful business, but also a thriving neighborhood.
The process of the resident-owned community buying the land beneath our neighborhood brought this community closer together. Not only do we know far more of our neighbors than ever before, but we look out for one another, too. And with no outside landlord to report to, we’re the envy of other nearby manufactured home communities.
Our Member households elect our Board of Directors, which works with a property management firm and also appoints various volunteer committees to help with special projects, celebrations, community improvements and more. The Board submits a budget every year, and the entire Membership votes on it and any changes to the rent before the budget becomes official. We’re running the business that is our community on our terms, by our rules, for the betterment of ourselves and our neighbors.
Homestead Acres is a well-established community in Swanton, Vt. for people who enjoy convenient access to the city, and also want to be close to an abundance of outdoor activities. Lake Champlain provides Swanton its western border, and affords an amazing array of recreational opportunities close to home, including boating, fishing, swimming, exploring and much more. Our town’s border to the north is the Quebec Province of Canada — home to Montreal (less than 1.5 hours) and the beautiful vistas of the Laurentian Mountains. Together they help make our regions a lively mix of culture, recreation and beauty. Many people plan their vacations in the region that we call home.
Swanton has a quaint New England town feel, with local churches, farmers markets, shops and great schools. We’re just 15 minutes from the fairgrounds for the annual Franklin County Field Days, a wonderful country fair and decades-old local tradition, and yet the City of St. Albans is just a 5-minute drive where you’ll find all kinds of shopping, restaurants, entertainment, festivals and more. Each April, St. Albans (dubbed the Maple Syrup Capital of the World) is home to the Vermont Maple Festival – a weekend-long event with local music, arts and entertainment. If you’re a winter sports enthusiast, you’ll find yourself nestled in the heart of snow country with downhill and cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and more.
Homestead Acres is a well-established community for people who enjoy a welcoming neighborhood in an ideal location.
Ask anyone who lives in Homestead Acres, and we’re sure they’ll tell you it’s a little slice of heaven.
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