Saco mobile home residents are trying to buy their park
Saco Residents Near Home‑Owned Future for Blue Haven Mobile Home Park
SACO, Maine — A cooperative of residents at Blue Haven Mobile Home Park is on the cusp of making history: by early next year, the park could be owned entirely by the people who live there. The move comes after more than a year of pushback against the current owner, Blue Haven MHP LLC, and follows a series of city‑wide actions aimed at protecting affordable housing for the state’s most vulnerable tenants.
A Contract in Place
On Wednesday, Nora Gosselin, a market‑and‑acquisition specialist with the Cooperative Development Institute (CDI), confirmed that the Blue Haven Resident Cooperative had signed a purchase agreement with Blue Haven MHP LLC. The deal, still subject to a 120‑day closing period, could see the park transition to resident ownership by early 2027, according to operations director Barbara Thomas.
“We’re well on our way,” Thomas said. “It’s a step forward, but we still have to close the deal.”
If the sale goes through, the cooperative will secure low‑interest loans from several nonprofit partners to cover the purchase price. Those loans, along with ongoing maintenance costs, would be paid back from residents’ monthly lot rents. The plan is to keep the park’s financial structure simple and transparent, with every household holding a vote on park matters.
Why It Matters
Mobile‑home residents in Maine have long argued that they are priced out of the market. In Saco, the city’s October 2025 moratorium on mobile‑home lot rent increases was a short‑lived relief that expired when the council voted to lift it in March. Residents and advocates argued that the brief pause did not address the real problem: landlords—often large investment firms—tend to raise rents steadily, eroding affordability for fixed‑income residents.
“It’s like a Russian nesting doll,” Thomas said. “These big investment companies buy parks, jack up the rents, do nothing in the parks, and treat them like stock. They’re just shell companies.”
Under the cooperative model, the park would become a democracy: each home would carry a vote, and decisions about maintenance, landscaping, and policy would be made collectively. CDI would provide training for the board for a year, and its involvement can last up to a decade, helping the residents build the skills needed to manage the park on their own.
The City’s Role
Saco’s recent actions on mobile‑home rent policy have set the stage for this cooperative effort. In October, the city council adopted a moratorium on lot‑rent increases, a move that was welcomed by many residents. The moratorium was extended until March, when the council voted to rescind it amid mounting pressure. The debate over rent stabilization has continued, and the city is scheduled to vote on a new ordinance today that would cap the number of annual rent increases and require a 90‑day notice period.
“All I want is to help the people in this park, because I know a lot of them are one step away from homelessness,” Thomas said. “I just know they can’t afford a rent increase.”
The proposed ordinance is still pending, but if passed it would give residents a more permanent safeguard against abrupt rent hikes—something that the cooperative’s plan would complement by putting the ultimate decision-making power back in the hands of the residents.
Residents’ Perspective
The residents themselves see this as a chance to escape the cycle of rent inflation and neglect that many mobile‑home parks suffer from. “We’re not just buying a piece of land; we’re buying our own community,” said a longtime resident, who asked to remain anonymous. “Under the current owner, we’re always worried about the next rent hike. If we own it, we can keep the community stable.”
The cooperative’s structure also promises to empower residents to manage their own park. “We’re already used to making decisions together for our families,” the resident said. “This is just taking that to the next level.”
Unanswered Questions
Blue Haven MHP LLC did not respond to a request for comment on the potential sale. The cooperative’s leadership remains optimistic, but the final sale will depend on securing the necessary financing and meeting the closing deadlines.
“There’s still a long way to go,” Thomas said. “It’s been a long and arduous process, but it’s exciting. We just want to stop the rents from being continually jacked up.”
Looking Ahead
If the cooperative succeeds, Blue Haven could become the first Maine mobile‑home park to transition to resident ownership under a cooperative model. The move could set a precedent for other parks facing similar challenges, offering a template for affordable housing that keeps residents in control.
For now, the city council’s upcoming vote on rent stabilization and the cooperative’s 120‑day closing window will determine whether the residents of Blue Haven will finally have the ownership they have been fighting for. Whatever the outcome, the community’s push for stability and autonomy marks a significant moment in Maine’s ongoing struggle to preserve affordable housing for all.
