New Hampshire Housing, in partnership with New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and filmmaker Jay Childs of JBC Communications, is releasing two new episodes of its "Housing FACT or FICTION" video series. The latest installment tackles New Hampshire’s housing crisis head-on, highlighting manufactured housing as an underappreciated solution through the real-life stories of residents who have found stability, community, and affordability in these homes. 

Featuring insights from Sarah Marchant, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of ROC-NH at the Community Loan Fund, the episodes offer a deeper understanding of the benefits these homes provide and dispel long-held misperceptions about manufactured housing. Marchant emphasizes that these homeowners are vital members of New Hampshire communities — often essential workers, families, and seniors — and that manufactured homes can be durable, safe, and financially sound investments.

“Manufactured homes offer an often-overlooked solution to New Hampshire’s housing crisis,” says Marchant. “We’re proud to collaborate with NH Housing to help communities move past stigmas and take a fresh look at how today’s manufactured housing provides quality and affordability.” 

The episodes introduce viewers to Pam Rothgaber, a resident of the Friendship Cooperative Community in Salem, who shares her journey as a single parent navigating the housing market. 

"Most people want a decent place to live that's affordable and in a good community," says Rothgaber. “That’s what manufactured housing cooperatives offer.” 

 Her love for her community inspired her to serve on the cooperative’s board of directors, where she became president.

Like Pam, Michele Heisner, of The Crossings at Sleepy Hollow in Newmarket, found her solution in a manufactured-home community after facing uncertainty in rental housing. 

“There are a lot of different people. There are some people who are retired that you see often. There are some people who are younger who are working age.” Heisner says, “There are some young families, [and] there are other single people like me.” 

Through their stories, the videos explore the stability found in resident-owned communities, where neighbors come together to collaboratively manage their living environment. Sarah Marchant elaborates on how these communities function as democratic cooperatives, giving residents control over their living conditions, from setting community rules to managing finances. This model fosters stability, equity, and a true sense of belonging.