The Powder House Story

Powder House originally opened as Deep Meadows Estates in the early 1980s and is now a 48-site, resident-owned manufactured home community.

But that transition didn’t happen overnight. We formed the Powder House Cooperative and started on the path to resident-ownership in 2008. That’s when, with the help of NH Community Loan Fund, ROC-NH and ROC USA, LLC, we purchased and took control of our community on Nov. 1, 2008.

Now, the resident-owned community (ROC) is not only a successful business, but also a thriving neighborhood.

The process of the resident-owned community buying the land beneath our neighborhood 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. We’re running the business that is our community on our terms, by our rules, for the betterment of ourselves and our neighbors.

Powder House Cooperative is a well-established and charming community in Exeter, N.H., with easy access to all of your daily needs. There are grocery stores, pharmacies, eateries, specialty shops and more in downtown Exeter, a quick five-minute drive from Powder House.  There is plenty to do in town as well, with Swasey Parkway hosting events year round, including a Summer Concert Series, a free outdoor cinema, the Exeter Farmers’ Market, fireworks for New Years and on the 4th, and many others events in between – fun, free, family activities just a few minutes from home. The Annual Fall Festival, offering arts, entertainment and activities for all ages is a fun, local tradition. 

If the ocean air, breeze and sunshine inspires you – you’ll be in your element here. We enjoy many public beaches less than 30 minutes from home – such as Hampton Beach State Park, Jenness State Beach, and Wallis Sands State Beach. And if boating is more your thing, drop your boat in Great Bay – a beautiful large tidal estuary – in one of the several access points including Chapman’s Landing about 15 minutes from Powder House Cooperative.

Powder House is a well-established community for people who enjoy a welcoming neighborhood in an ideal location.

Ask anyone who lives in Powder House, and we’re sure they’ll tell you it’s a little slice of heaven.

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