Quiet and calm, Hilltop Mobile Home Park in State College is all but deserted. 60 families already gone after they were told to be out by February 28th. But the 20 families who remain are keeping the lights on.

Eric Sauder, New Leaf Initiative, says, “One of the things that’s has been so invigorating is seeing this community look for other options and look for positive ways for how they can imagine a new community."

Eric Sauder works for New Leaf Initiative--a nonprofit in downtown State College. The group was enlisted to help Hilltop save their neighborhood by working on solutions to the sale.

Sauder adds, “A chance to take a look at possibilities at what the community might become and what it could include that it might not right now."

The Initiative is looking into helping Hilltop become a resident-run community. That is, the remaining families would buy the land instead of the potential student housing developer. Then, they would run their neighborhood themselves. They are moving forward and have gotten support from many in State College, like lawyers and other experts, who are helping them for free.

Sauder notes, “It’s really important as a community that we come along side this community however we can."