Hillside Acres Mobile Home Park, Ithaca, NY

Introduction / Overview: Discovering the Value of Hillside Acres Mobile Home Park

For New York residents—from young professionals and students to established families and retirees—seeking an affordable, practical housing solution in the high-demand Ithaca area, Hillside Acres Mobile Home Park presents a highly advantageous option. Located in the charming hamlet of Varna, this community offers a unique opportunity for stable homeownership without the astronomical costs often associated with traditional real estate in Tompkins County. Hillside Acres is an all-ages manufactured home community, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment that caters to a wide cross-section of local users.

This park operates on a land-lease model, meaning residents typically own their home while renting the site it occupies. This structure significantly reduces the financial barrier to owning a comfortable residence. The community provides essential infrastructure and management to ensure a structured living environment. While anecdotal reviews suggest that the quality of homes can vary—ranging from well-maintained, newer manufactured homes to older properties—the foundation of the park remains its unbeatable location and affordable entry into the Ithaca housing market.

Hillside Acres boasts nearly 200 units on over 46 acres, positioned to give residents a country feel on the edge of the vibrant Cornell University campus. The combination of rural tranquility and urban accessibility makes it a practical and appealing choice for local users prioritizing value and convenience.

Location and Accessibility: Unbeatable Proximity to Academic Hubs

Hillside Acres Mobile Home Park is strategically located at Graduate Dr, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA, situated just off State Route 366 in the hamlet of Varna. The location is arguably one of the park’s strongest features, offering an exceptional blend of seclusion and connectivity for residents in the New York region.

Proximity to Cornell University: The park is a notable highlight for many residents due to its proximity—approximately one and a half miles—to Cornell University. This makes it an ideal, low-cost housing option for faculty, staff, graduate students, and others tied to the university. The short commute is a considerable advantage over housing options further afield, providing a daily convenience that is difficult to find at comparable prices.

Public Transportation: The area is well-served by local public transit, with bus stops nearby, giving residents easy access to downtown Ithaca, Ithaca College, and the city’s other major destinations without needing a personal vehicle for every trip.

Local Services: Despite the country-like setting, residents are only minutes away from a wide array of amenities. Shopping centers, restaurants, and essential services are conveniently accessible in nearby East Hill Plaza and the surrounding commercial areas. Additionally, the location falls within the highly-regarded Ithaca City School District, with excellent schools like DeWitt Middle School and Ithaca Senior High School serving the area, a vital consideration for New York families.

Outdoor Recreation: The community's location provides excellent access to the natural beauty of the region. Nearby are the Cornell Botanic Gardens, which feature extensive hiking and biking trails, including the Cayuga Trail and the popular Monkey Run. This allows residents to enjoy the stunning landscapes and outdoor activities that the Finger Lakes region is famous for.

Services Offered

The lot rental fee at Hillside Acres is designed to cover essential services and administrative costs, providing a streamlined and predictable monthly expense for local residents.

Lot Lease Management: Professional management oversees the community operations, enforcing park rules to maintain a decent standard of living and providing general administrative support to residents.
Infrastructure and Utilities: The community ensures essential utilities are available and functional. The lot rent typically includes access to approved municipal water and sewer systems.
Road Maintenance: Hillside Acres maintains its internal road network, which features hard-top or dust-controlled surfaces. Importantly for New York residents, this includes snow removal from the roads during winter months.
Property Taxes: A significant financial benefit for residents is that the home space rental fee typically includes the County, Town, School, and Special District Real Estate Taxes, eliminating this expense for the individual homeowner.
Community Amenities: The park offers certain recreational features for resident enjoyment, notably the inclusion of Lake Mary, which is stocked with Bass and sunfish, offering two private entrances for fishing.
Street Lighting: Common area lighting, including street lights, is maintained to enhance safety and navigability throughout the community.

Features / Highlights

Hillside Acres offers numerous highlights that make it a compelling choice for residents seeking affordable homeownership in the Ithaca area.

All-Ages Community: The park welcomes residents of all ages, creating a true neighborhood mix of families, students, and seniors, unlike restricted 55+ communities.
Scenic and Tranquil Setting: Despite being near a major university, the park is set in a country environment, providing a peaceful escape from the academic and urban intensity of Ithaca.
Exclusive Fishing Pond: A rare and desirable feature is Lake Mary, a Bass-stocked lake with private resident access, offering a unique on-site recreational activity for fishing enthusiasts young and old.
Flexibility for New or Existing Homes: The community provides lots for both new manufactured homes, which offer modern features and construction, and for relocating a resident’s existing manufactured home (subject to park approval and regulations).
Financial Predictability: The inclusion of real estate taxes within the lot rental fee offers financial simplification and removes a major variable cost of homeownership for local users.
High Demand Location: The park's close proximity to Cornell University ensures that the community is consistently desirable, offering a long-term stable housing option with consistent occupancy.

Contact Information

For New York residents seeking more information on current lot availability, promotional incentives, or the application process to join the Hillside Acres community, the essential contact point is:

Address: Graduate Dr, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA

Note: Prospective residents typically need to complete an application and must be approved by the park management. Application fees may apply but are often credited back toward the first month's lot rent upon approval.

Conclusion: Why Hillside Acres is Suitable for Locals

Hillside Acres Mobile Home Park provides a powerful and practical solution to the persistent challenge of finding affordable housing in the Ithaca, NY region. For local users, its suitability is cemented by a strategic trifecta of affordability, accessibility, and community amenities.

The ability to own a home—often a modern, low-maintenance manufactured residence—while paying a lot rent that includes property taxes dramatically lowers the cost of living compared to renting apartments or purchasing traditional single-family homes in Tompkins County. This financial advantage is particularly attractive in a high-cost area dominated by university-driven demand.

Furthermore, the location is a significant asset. Being just a mile and a half from Cornell and served by public transit means that residents are not sacrificing convenience for cost. They retain easy access to world-class educational opportunities, major employment centers, and the dynamic cultural life of Ithaca, all while retreating to a quiet, country-like environment with recreational perks like the stocked Lake Mary.

While the quality of the homes themselves can vary, representing a mix of ages and conditions—a common situation across mobile home parks—the opportunity to place a brand-new home on a well-located lot is a compelling incentive. For New York residents seeking stability, value, and prime location without the burden of Ithaca's high property taxes, Hillside Acres Mobile Home Park offers a suitable, sustainable, and smart path to homeownership.