If ever there was a way to really feel close to your community, a cooperative is the way to go. And Greenbelt Homes, Inc. has all the elements of a tight-knit cooperative. Here, community involvement is encouraged more than ever… Greenbelt Homes, Inc. works as a democracy meaning that the members of the community have complete control over the buildings in which they live. Beyond its innovative approach to community, there is a historical legacy to Greenbelt Homes. Greenbelt, Maryland is a National Historic Landmark planned community built in 1937 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. For the first time, the federal government strategically planned a town with intention. Intention to ease the housing shortage by creating economical housing and intention to create jobs to stimulate the economy after the Great Depression. Greenbelt Homes and the original town center remain today the most famous and innovative housing and community project ever built by the federal government. In fact, it was recognized in 1997 by being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Walk through town and be charmed by Greenbelt 's art deco town center, its row houses and its inner-walkway system and underpasses. Dine at the New Deal Café. Like several businesses in Greenbelt, it is operated as a consumers’ cooperative and owned by over 200 member patrons. Celebrate the Greenbelt Labor Day Festival. The largest event of its kind in the state of Maryland. Stay active with one of the best small town recreation programs in the country which includes two recreation centers, a community center, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, extensive ball fields, 23 playgrounds, 190 acres of parkland, an 1100 acre National Park. Immerse yourself in culture with the many facilities that the University of Maryland and the cities of Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland have to offer. Greenbelt is a town that has come together, not by accident, but with planning, engineering and intention to make a beautiful community. When you move to Greenbelt, you are not just a resident, but a voice that has the power to make your town the place you’re proud to call home. For Census Data, see the U.S. Census Bureau Fact Sheet. |