I've been communicating with the OP via PM, but I'll post a few of my thoughts here, too. Bear in mind that I have lived here for only six months, after a two year home search, and that I cannot claim to be unbiased. Nonetheless, here goes:
Crime: Very safe. Occasionally, you'll see some teenagers making trouble during the summer, but it's mostly annoying rather than malicious. For specifics, check the
Arapahoe County Sheriff's website for crime mapping.
HOAs: There are several, and one neighborhood is completely HOA-free. My area's architectural committee is pretty strict. That said, they were more than willing to cut us some slack after we moved into a house that needed quite a bit of landscaping work. They just wanted to know our schedule for bringing it into compliance. As I understand it, all of the Willow Creek HOAs have their documents on-line. Fees vary based on the services each HOA provides.
Families with young children: Willow Creek is a neighborhood in transition, but, yes, they do exist here. Some streets have plenty, while others are mostly retirees. It appears that the area near the Safeway shopping center has more than the rest of Willow Creek. The best places to meet other families are the community pools and the school playground. When you register for school (which must be done at the main office at CCHS rather than the elementary), the Willow Creek PTA will match you up with another family who has volunteered to show newcomers the ropes. The PTA also arranges mixers throughout the year. Additionally, I've met lots of people out walking the paths. A fun summer activity is catching crawdads in the creek that bisects the neighborhood. Take your children, a bucket, and a package of hot dogs for bait, and you'll attract a pack of kids in no time flat.
Schools: Willow Creek Elementary is outstanding! I can't compliment it enough. After two years in a poorly-performing Douglas County School (>40% of the third grade failed the writing portion of CSAP), my husband and I were at our wits' end. Despite tutoring, our eldest child was falling behind, and our youngest had an absolutely awful time, too. Both of them have made extraordinary strides in their first year at Willow Creek, and we could not be more pleased.
As you've probably noticed, Willow Creek is a fairly affluent area, but it's not showy. There aren't any mansions or expensive recreational toys cluttering up the streets. Residents tend to have a high-level of education and, as such, take their kids' education very seriously. The school rarely has a shortage of volunteers, and school bonds usually pass. In fact, in the metro area, I think that only CCSD passed its school bonds in 2008.
The elementary school is more ethnically diverse than the neighborhood itself and pulls nearly half of its students from other areas through open enrollment. In 2006, it was was awarded Blue-Ribbon School status, which you'll see on a banner that hangs over the entrance. Many teachers have been there for a decade or more, and lots of staff members live in the neighborhood. If you check the CSAP scores for the last few years, you'll see that well more than half the student body scored advanced in math. I think this may reflect a bit of self-selection, in that a great number of Willow Creek parents appear to work in engineering, IT, or finance.
One interesting thing about Willow Creek is that it does not ask the kids to participate in fund raisers throughout the year. Instead they request a "voluntary" donation (for 08-09, it was $125 per child) at the beginning of the year. I was happy to do it, even if the huge check I wrote at back-to-school night did cause me to catch my breath.
Politics: There were a variety of opinions about last year's election, although most signage indicated support for the Democratic ticket. On the playground, discussions were civil and respectful. With the exception of one friendly battle between two next-door neighbors, I did not see any vandalism of either party's materials. The school bonds were at the forefront of concern. As I noted earlier, both passed. Willow Creek Elementary will directly benefit from the money, which will pay for much-needed renovations.
Other thoughts: The downside of the neighborhood is the architecture. Nobody here buys for the architecture. In the less expensive houses at least, it's typical 70's design, with cramped stairwells, small closets, minuscule bathrooms, and tiny kitchens. We make up for it with beautiful, mature trees, expansive green belts, and wonderful walking/biking paths.
Willow Creek park is used a great deal for sports in all seasons. I believe that South Suburban Parks recently finalized plans to add a permanent restroom near the sports fields.
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Willow Creek Subdivision
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