North Avenue Co-op, Burlington, VT

Introduction / Overview: Preserving Affordable Homeownership in Burlington

The North Avenue Co-op, formerly known as Farrington’s Mobile Home Park, is a vital and innovative community located in Burlington, Vermont. It stands as a significant example of affordable, resident-owned housing in the state, making it a unique and highly desirable option for Vermonters. This is not a traditional park run by an outside investor; it is a 116-unit Resident Owned Community (ROC). This means the neighborhood, including the land and common areas, is owned by a cooperative business composed of the homeowners who live there.

Since the residents successfully purchased the park from its former owner in 2015, the community has operated under a powerful model of resident control. Each household buys one low-cost share, has one vote on major community matters, and elects a Board of Directors to manage day-to-day operations. This collective ownership provides financial stability, control over lot rent increases, and a strong sense of community that is often lacking in investor-owned parks. The Co-op’s success is a testament to the community's dedication to preserving affordable housing and improving the neighborhood for the long term, cementing its status as a forward-thinking and stable place to live.

Location and Accessibility in Vermont’s Largest City

North Avenue Co-op is located at 4 Avenue A, Burlington, VT 05408, USA, providing a prime address within the state’s most populous city. This location in Burlington's New North End, near the historic Old North End, offers unparalleled accessibility for local residents.

Being situated right on North Avenue places the community conveniently near major amenities and transportation routes. Residents benefit from being close to local shopping centers like the Ethan Allen Shopping Center and popular recreational spots such as Leddy Park, which offers waterfront access to Lake Champlain. Crucially, the Co-op is located directly on a public bus line, providing reliable public transportation access for residents to get to jobs, downtown services, and other parts of Burlington easily. This convenient city location, in contrast to the rural setting of many mobile home parks, makes it an excellent choice for working families and individuals seeking affordable homeownership without sacrificing urban amenities or accessibility. The commitment to community well-being is further demonstrated by projects to upgrade core infrastructure, including water and sewer systems, which contribute to the long-term health of the neighborhood.

Services Offered (Affordability and Infrastructure)

As a Resident-Owned Community, the Co-op's services are managed by the resident-elected Board of Directors, ensuring that fees are allocated directly back into the community’s infrastructure, maintenance, and collective services.

Lot Rent: The Co-op maintains highly affordable monthly lot rent (approximately $$415$ per month, subject to change) which covers community expenses and is typically significantly below the state average for mobile home parks.
Community Ownership: Residents own a share in the cooperative business, which in turn owns the land, ensuring democratic control and financial stability for the long-term.
Essential Utilities: The community is served by public water and public sewer systems. The Co-op actively engages in infrastructure planning for water, sewer, and road network upgrades.
Maintenance Management: Monthly lot fees contribute to essential shared services, including the management and maintenance of common areas, community roads, and potentially snow removal and trash/recycling pickup.
Support Programs: The Co-op works closely with affordable housing partners like the Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) and ROC USA, which provide training, management support, and access to unique financing options for infrastructure improvements.

Features / Highlights (Sustainability and Community Control)

The features of North Avenue Co-op are less about resort-style amenities and more about long-term sustainability, control, and housing quality, which is particularly relevant for Vermonters focused on energy efficiency and climate resilience.

Resident Ownership Model: The most crucial feature—homeowners have a direct voice and vote in the management, budget, and rules of the park, eliminating the risk of a predatory landlord or displacement due to sale to an investor.
Zero Energy Modular (ZEM) Homes: The Co-op is a key partner in a major pilot program promoting the replacement of older, energy-inefficient mobile homes with new, highly sustainable ZEM units.
Energy Efficiency: ZEM homes are built for maximum energy efficiency, affordability, and durability, often equipped with rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, resulting in little to no electric or heating costs for homeowners.
Affordable Housing Preservation: The Co-op is actively involved in projects with partners like Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity to build new, perpetually affordable modular homes within the community, replacing abandoned or deteriorating structures.
Community Atmosphere: Described by residents as a cute and quiet neighborhood with a strong sense of pride and collective management.
Pet Policy: The Co-op permits up to two pets per home (subject to specific co-op policies and application).

Contact Information

For detailed information on the Co-op structure, membership, available homes for sale, or lot lease agreements, interested individuals should reach out directly to the management or cooperative board.

Address: 4 Avenue A, Burlington, VT 05408, USA

Phone: (860) 800-2242 (Note: This number is often associated with the cooperative management or a partner organization).

Conclusion: Why this place is Suitable for Vermont Locals

The North Avenue Co-op is exceptionally well-suited for Vermont locals, especially those in the Chittenden County area, due to its commitment to long-term affordability and stable homeownership in a high-cost city. For many Vermonters, traditional site-built homes are financially out of reach, but the resident-owned model offers a crucial pathway to property ownership and wealth building.

The co-op structure ensures that residents have unprecedented control over their own community's destiny, guaranteeing that lot fees remain affordable and that infrastructure is maintained—a level of security rarely found in traditional parks. Furthermore, the pioneering integration of Zero Energy Modular homes addresses two core Vermont values: environmental sustainability and resilience against high energy costs. This focus on future-proofing the housing stock, combined with its centralized Burlington location near public transit and essential services, makes North Avenue Co-op more than just a place to live; it is a stable, affordable, and progressive homeownership solution for the Vermont working family.