The Buena Vista Story...
Buena Vista opened in 1953 and grew up over the years into a 36-site, resident-owned manufactured home community. But that transition didn't happen overnight. We began the move toward controlling our own destiny in 2012. That's when, with the help of NeighborWorks® Montana and ROC USA, LLC, we formed the Buena Vista Community, Inc. that would, on Nov. 27, 2013, purchase and take control of our community.
Now, Buena Vista is not only a successful business, but also a thriving neighborhood. The process of the cooperative buying the land beneath our homes 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. Our rent has stabilized since becoming a ROC – something about which we're not only happy, but also proud. We're running the multi-million dollar business that is our community on our terms, by our rules, for the betterment of ourselves and our neighbors.
Buena Vista couldn't be better situated. Located near the second-largest city in Montana, we have access to all the conveniences, education and entertainment Missoula has to offer. Yet, you'd never call us a city neighborhood – we enjoy the expansive nature of Montana all around us. The open land nearby is used by the Montana Forestry Service and the Missoula Smokejumper Training Center. You might see smokejumpers practicing their drills in preparation for wildfires – they are highly trained firefighters who travel across the United States to fight wildfires. Our schools are close-by and the kids are picked up right at the mouth of our community. The many nearby lakes and rivers give us access to fishing, rafting, swimming and water skiing. And the mountains nearby provide some of the best skiing in the country (If not the world!). There are also endless cultural activities in our area ... learn more about our region by visiting Destination Missoula. Buena Vista provides a perfect balance of suburban convenience and the affordability and peacefulness of a country setting – here at Buena Vista, there is plenty to do, no matter your style.
Now, Buena Vista is not only a successful business, but also a thriving neighborhood. The process of the cooperative buying the land beneath our homes 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. Our rent has stabilized since becoming a ROC – something about which we're not only happy, but also proud. We're running the multi-million dollar business that is our community on our terms, by our rules, for the betterment of ourselves and our neighbors.
Buena Vista couldn't be better situated. Located near the second-largest city in Montana, we have access to all the conveniences, education and entertainment Missoula has to offer. Yet, you'd never call us a city neighborhood – we enjoy the expansive nature of Montana all around us. The open land nearby is used by the Montana Forestry Service and the Missoula Smokejumper Training Center. You might see smokejumpers practicing their drills in preparation for wildfires – they are highly trained firefighters who travel across the United States to fight wildfires. Our schools are close-by and the kids are picked up right at the mouth of our community. The many nearby lakes and rivers give us access to fishing, rafting, swimming and water skiing. And the mountains nearby provide some of the best skiing in the country (If not the world!). There are also endless cultural activities in our area ... learn more about our region by visiting Destination Missoula. Buena Vista provides a perfect balance of suburban convenience and the affordability and peacefulness of a country setting – here at Buena Vista, there is plenty to do, no matter your style.
Since we voted to become a resident-owned community, we have worked hard to improve our community. Our vice president goes beyond the call of duty and mows all of our common areas and even individual lots as needed. We've also cleaned up many trees and branches and made the most of it with a community bonfire. Our street was in rough shape, so we had road material brought in and the road graded. We are building pride in ownership and having fun, too – not long after purchasing, residents spent a weekend afternoon constructing horseshoe pits on Buena Vista open space for community use. Our property is looking great! The biggest project we are working on now is connecting our community to the city sewer system and abandoning the outdated system we have on site. We're collaborating with our county's public works department and with their support we were awarded a planning grant from Montana's Treasure State Endowment Program. This enabled us to hire engineers to provide a preliminary analysis and report on our sewer connection options, which helped identify additional resources. If all goes as planned we expect to have the necessary funding in place and break ground in late 2015. Our neighborhood works together as homeowners and community members to make Buena Vista a top-notch community and a wonderful place to live.
Ask anyone who lives in Buena Vista and we're sure they'll tell you it's a little slice of heaven.
Ask anyone who lives in Buena Vista and we're sure they'll tell you it's a little slice of heaven.
