The residents of Raasch’s Ranch Mobile Home Park in Zumbrota, Minnesota, became Minnesota’s 14th cooperatively-owned manufactured home community on April 10. With this milestone, 40 homes have been preserved as permanently affordable housing, owned and governed by the residents of the community.
The Raasch Ranch project tells a powerful story of local action, smart policy, and public investment working together to build long-term housing stability.
A First for Minnesota Housing Policy
This project is the first successful community purchase under Minnesota’s new Unsolicited Notice of Sale law. The law requires manufactured home community owners to notify Minnesota Housing if they plan to sell—a policy shift that gave residents a shot at competing with private investors.
“This is another great win for housing stability and local ownership,” said Victoria ClarkWest, Executive Director of NCF. “The residents of Raasch Ranch came together, stepped into ownership, and now have the power to shape the future of their community.”
Public Investment, Real Impact
Financing for the $2.6 million purchase came from NCF’s subsidiary loan fund, Cooperative Loan Fund (CLF), including $300,000 in deferred payment loans that helped keep rent increases manageable for residents. This flexible financing was made possible through a 2023 appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature, which provided crucial equity capital for preserving manufactured housing across the state.
“State leaders made a bold investment in preserving affordable housing,” said Clark-West. “This project shows exactly what that kind of commitment can achieve.”
A Growing Movement
With the addition of Raasch Ranch, NCF has now helped preserve 1,216 homes in resident ownership throughout the Upper Midwest.
NCF will continue to support the Raasch Ranch Cooperative with technical assistance, training, and long-term partnership. We’re proud to stand beside them as they join the growing movement of resident-owned communities.
