Sun City West: How Will It Change as Younger People Move There? (Scottsdale: condos, buyers)
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Location: Escaped SoCal for Freedom in AZ!!!! LOVE IT!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arizona89A
Arizona has absolutely no shortage of water. Its political leanings will not change, since most emigrants are from conservative areas like Texas, Utah, Idaho, southern California, the Midwest, and Florida. Power in central Arizona is from the Palo Verde nuke plant.
I vote you for governor!
ETA: Wait - after reading your subsequent posts, I might already want to recall you
I live in the original Sun City. I'm in my early 40s, I lean a little democratic. My mom bought a house here, and I live with her. I feel out of place here, but it's nice to be living in a house as opposed to a noisy apartment. Plus I have a garage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MeowMeowArfArf
I am visiting my older relatives in Sun City West. They are wonderful, warm, generous people who've lived lives of honest hard work and loving values. But--let's face it: they listen to Fox News all day and aren't very well-informed. They believe America is in serious decline and that liberals are going to ruin it with gay marriage, "foreigners" and iphones.
Over time, of course, younger people will replace the people who now live in Sun City West, and they will indeed bring a new outlook. I am wondering how to predict what kind of changes are in store. Sun City West is an amazing place with great potential, and homes are not expensive. I am thinking of buying a house there, and would like to hear what people think about the following:
1. Will new residents want to live more sustainably? There are a few solar panels on rooftops, but in general Sun City residents don't feel the same way younger people do about the need to manage water and power wisely.
2. Will Arizona gradually transition from being a red state to a blue state, the way Colorado has? It seems certain to me that the kind of people who have moved into Colorado over the past 20 years will eventually want retirement living at a place like Sun City West.
3. Is the Southwest viable at all? Does the lack of water combined with the huge inflow of population mean states like Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Southern California are on a collision course with nature? Will climate change bring summers so hot the Phoenix area will not be habitable at all?
I could easily be wrong: there may be enough young people with right-wing values to replace the older people who grew up in the 1950's, the air conditioners may continue to run on oil and coal, and Sun City West may remain exactly as it is now.
Politics aside, I think the retirement communities of all types may be in for a surprise.
I'm 59, old enough for most of the senior/adult/55+/retirement/whatever communities. But do I want to move to any? No. I don't want to play bingo in the clubhouse. I don't want casino trips. I don't want to play pentanque or throw horseshoes. I don't want movie night in the atrium where the movies selected are moralistic rather than entertaining. This is what I see every time I visit my mom at her independent living facility, and talk to friends whose parents are in similar places.
What I want is outdoor Tai Chi community sessions. Water aerobics in the community pool. Group outings by bus with wine to Broadway and off-Broadway plays and musicals, and other cultural events. Community outings to the various sporting events would be a blast too. A block party for Halloween would be neat, or a community BBQ.
I have yet to see any 55+ community aiming their events at my age group.
I don't expect it to change any time soon, either.
Good thing I like living in Millennial oriented communities.
Try looking at Del Webb communities. The ones we have seen have ALL those things and more. (Though tai chi might be indoors due to weather and heat.) Just last week, they had a food truck rodeo at the one near us. Poker and pool tournaments regularly, sometimes including gambling with real money.
What you describe sounds like assisted living housing.
I just recently moved out of Colorado to Arizona, it became too left wing for me and the cost of living rose too high. Now we got another person wanting to transform another red state? Why not assimilate instead of making it like your former area?
You'll have to forgive them... they're a cancer, you see. They devour a host and then move on to the next area, rot it from the inside out. They're too blind to see the hypocrisy, and too ignorant to care. Those with sane, working minds will NEVER comprehend the liberal mindset of "I cant stand what my blue state has become, so Im going to move elsewhere and then vote the same way in my new place."
Its utter insanity! Its even more insane that they will defend this particular existence.
I am visiting my older relatives in Sun City West. They are wonderful, warm, generous people who've lived lives of honest hard work and loving values. But--let's face it: they listen to Fox News all day and aren't very well-informed. They believe America is in serious decline and that liberals are going to ruin it with gay marriage, "foreigners" and iphones.
Over time, of course, younger people will replace the people who now live in Sun City West, and they will indeed bring a new outlook. I am wondering how to predict what kind of changes are in store. Sun City West is an amazing place with great potential, and homes are not expensive. I am thinking of buying a house there, and would like to hear what people think about the following:
1. Will new residents want to live more sustainably? There are a few solar panels on rooftops, but in general Sun City residents don't feel the same way younger people do about the need to manage water and power wisely.
2. Will Arizona gradually transition from being a red state to a blue state, the way Colorado has? It seems certain to me that the kind of people who have moved into Colorado over the past 20 years will eventually want retirement living at a place like Sun City West.
3. Is the Southwest viable at all? Does the lack of water combined with the huge inflow of population mean states like Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and Southern California are on a collision course with nature? Will climate change bring summers so hot the Phoenix area will not be habitable at all?
I could easily be wrong: there may be enough young people with right-wing values to replace the older people who grew up in the 1950's, the air conditioners may continue to run on oil and coal, and Sun City West may remain exactly as it is now.
What do you think?
IMO...
1) Sun City will change as currently young people age, move into the community, and bring with them things that are normal for their age group, some of which were considered "progressive" at the time. You have to admit that a retirement community isn't exactly the most "progressive" concept out there. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. But by definition, retirement communities are very exclusive, insulating the residents from anyone who doesn't fit specific parameters.
2) Over generations, the goalposts move with respect to politics. Who knows what's going to happen. In 200 years, conservatives could be fending off progressives who want to ban or control same-sex marriage. In the short term, I don't see the politics changing too much. Right wing values will change along with generations. So will left wing values.
3) Phoenix is a little more than a hundred miles from the Gulf of California. Tucson is close enough as well. Something needs to be done about the Colorado River situation, and it will be at some point. I see the Southwest as viable, but most of it won't work at its current pace. Phoenix might work at current pace for some time, as we have a decent amount of water now. First will be conservation efforts, then eventually desalination will replenish fresh water supplies.
Try looking at Del Webb communities. The ones we have seen have ALL those things and more. (Though tai chi might be indoors due to weather and heat.) Just last week, they had a food truck rodeo at the one near us. Poker and pool tournaments regularly, sometimes including gambling with real money.
What you describe sounds like assisted living housing.
I can vouch for this. I won the pool tournament in our community, as well as the Chili Contest. (No, you can't have my recipe). Although, yesterday I lost $5.00 in our weekly poker game. If this keeps, up, I may not be able to afford that new walker I've had my eye on.
I moved to Sun City West from Illinois. Escaping the frozen tundra was my main motivation but the complete difference in the West compared to the Midwest has also made it enjoyable. Yukon has obviously confused our community with an assisted living facility. Not even close. There truly is something for everyone here. Those who say otherwise have either never been here or aren't trying. Either way, I would suggest visiting the entire area before moving here though.
Arizona has absolutely no shortage of water. Its political leanings will not change, since most emigrants are from conservative areas like Texas, Utah, Idaho, southern California, the Midwest, and Florida. Power in central Arizona is from the Palo Verde nuke plant.
I'm sensing the same, or at least it makes the change of the voting landscape glacially slow. It is not only the in-migration of conservatives but also the out-migration of (liberal-leaning) Millennials that hampers change in Arizona.
I think all those old people in Sun City with the conservative attitudes were once the anti-war demonstrating, pot-smoking, free loving hippies. Who knows what got into them, but the same thing will happen to younger people as they get older and the SCs will stay conservative.
Arizona is already transitioning to a "blue" state. Tucson and Flagstaff and the rezzes are deep blue. Much of AZ votes dem but the Phoenix suburbs (and staggering voter apathy on the left) dominate. As the Republicans continue to alienate Latinos you can expect to see more and more gains from Dems.
Older people are tightwads. Many live on relatively fixed incomes. They keep the thermostats higher and try to penny pinch on energy costs. Their motivation may not be saving the planet, but the result is the same. And I see plenty of solar panels on the retirees homes here where I live - not that it has any real positive impact on the environment. Phoenix area is in good shape with respect to water. We have multiple sources and vast reserves. We use far less than we did a few decades ago in spite of the growth as people simply do not use as much water as the agriculture they have replaced. As for heat, it is uninhabitable as it is.
Agreed on most points, but old age is not always connected to turning conservative. The Greatest Generation voted Democrat for life. The boomer generation is opposite, from extreme left to now extreme right. Obviously the Greatest Generation is largely extinct and the old-age voting pool in AZ dominated by Silent and Boomer retirees.
Agreed on most points, but old age is not always connected to turning conservative. The Greatest Generation voted Democrat for life. The boomer generation is opposite, from extreme left to now extreme right. Obviously the Greatest Generation is largely extinct and the old-age voting pool in AZ dominated by Silent and Boomer retirees.
There was a time when Democrats were actually very conservative. It should not be assumed that all Boomers were extreme left, and that all Boomers are now extreme right. Also, it should not be assumed that all Gen X, millennials/Gen Y, and Gen Z/Boomlets are all "progressives". There are many Christians & other conservative thinkers in these next generations. They will not bend and vote according to whatever their current generation is being herded into by progressive movement.
Sun City West and other retirement communities will not change very much, if at all.
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Why not assimilate instead of making it like your former area?
