BARRINGTON, N.H. — Residents of the Lee Oak Cooperative are optimistic about the future after purchasing their neighborhood recently.
The 69-home community is the fourth resident-owned community (ROC) in Barrington and the 124th in New Hampshire. The park was previously called the Ambleside Mobile Home Park.
Members of the democratically-elected Board of Directors said the move will create a greater sense of community for residents. Chris Peabody, treasurer, and Gene Schmitz, vice president, said this was the right choice for all the residents there.
One of the first projects the group plans to tackle is upgrading the septic system.
Chris Monroe, the housing cooperative specialist from ROC-NH working with the Board, said participation has been banner thus far. A good amount of people have signed up for the committees and many have been actively participating in the Board meetings.
This participation, Monroe expects, will continue to grow.
“I think they’ll really take off,” he said.
Board Members will work with ROC-NH, a program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, for the duration of their mortgage — at least 20 years.
Residents bought the neighborhood for $3.4 million on April 13, with financing from from the Community Loan Fund.
The great news was featured in Foster’s Daily Democrat.