Residents of Friendly Village met on April 13 and heard presentations from representatives of two nationwide nonprofits, the Cooperative Development Institute, and Resident Owned Communities USA. Both organizations assist owners and renters within manufactured-home communities in their efforts to join together to purchase the land on which their homes are located.

Several resident groups in other manufactured-home communities around Maine have completed similar purchases, or have purchases in process. Friendly Village residents were informed in March that their community is about to be sold to a large out-of-state investment entity. A recently enacted 2024 state law makes it much easier for residents of manufactured-home communities to negotiate and complete such purchases.

Friendly Village residents have scheduled another meeting to discuss the situation on April 27.