Senior housing in PHX area - metro accessible? (Phoenix, Mesa: apartments, to rent)

[NYC2PHX1988]

Hi Everyone,

My parents/my hometown is in the NYC area and my parents are looking into relocating to PHX, AZ for retirement in about three years.

NYC area obviously has an extensive metro system - subway, NJTransit, LIRR...etc.

My parents are looking into the Phoenix metro area, ideally Surprise, AZ (or maybe Wickenburg) - Don't know much about the area. I've done a little research and looks like Surprise, AZ is about 25-30 mins driving from PHX and Glendale, and there is the very limited but express 571 bus that goes from Surprise to Downtown PHX.

They're looking for senior housing in a nice/safe area in Surprise, AZ and PHX suburbs. Can anyone recommend any areas that are somewhat metro accessible? I know there are also other areas like Glendale, Tempe, Mesa that are on the Valley Metro Light Rai line.

Guessing the budget is $700-800/month.

Looking for apartments, but if there any affordable houses to rent - please advise on anyone from the area. I know AZ is likely a driving state, much like California...but I think if they're somewhere that is a little metro accessible they can drive if they want to or take the Valley Metro/Light Rail around town.

Any thoughts?

Please advise. Open to options/suggestions.

Also, are there any shuttle buses that run from downtown Phoenix to the grand canyon? Touristy spots like that...I know it's about 3.5 hours driving from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon.

Thanks!

[Pink Jazz]

Transit service in the West Valley isn't quite as good as the East Valley; only Glendale and the western parts of Phoenix have at least usable transit service, but still pales compared to central/eastern Phoenix, Tempe, and western/central Mesa.

[NYC2PHX1988]

Thanks for the reply! For someone that isn't familiar with AZ at all....can you please confirm east valley vs. west valley?

Does that mean safety, or metro accessibilty? What/where are the affordable but safe areas in the Phoenix suburbs?

Thanks!

[AZ Manager]

Further northwest, north, and east you go the safer it gets. There are pockets of poverty and crime in most areas of the valley. There is also large shopping centers in all parts of the valley so unless your parents want to go to events constantly there is no real need to be near downtown. Retired people are more concerned with health services when they move here which is why they tend to live northwest valley, Surprise and Sun City, or east valley, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and AJ. You wont find good healthcare in the metro area and your budget will not support being in a safe neighborhood in the metro area. In Sun City you can drive gold carts around and in Surprise the traffic is pretty good except right at Grand and Bell. A bus ride here from Glendale to downtown would be about 2 hours, I haven't ridden the bus since I was in HS so I could be wrong, but there is no point to go downtown unless you are going for an event or working. We also have dial-a-ride here which is pretty cheap for Surprise residents at less than $2 a ride I think if you stay in the NW valley and like $4 for Sun City residents, I will put a link at the bottom you can research that yourself.

As for tours there is a ton of stuff from all over the valley that will take groups of people to the casinos or the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tombstone and others. Just a quick google search I found a tour from north phoenix that goes through Sedona to the Grand Canyon for $160, an entire day trip.

Providing Public Transportation Alternatives for the Greater Phoenix Metro Area | Valley Metro | Dial-A-Ride

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by AZ Manager

Further northwest, north, and east you go the safer it gets. There are pockets of poverty and crime in most areas of the valley. There is also large shopping centers in all parts of the valley so unless your parents want to go to events constantly there is no real need to be near downtown. Retired people are more concerned with health services when they move here which is why they tend to live northwest valley, Surprise and Sun City, or east valley, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and AJ. You wont find good healthcare in the metro area and your budget will not support being in a safe neighborhood in the metro area. In Sun City you can drive gold carts around and in Surprise the traffic is pretty good except right at Grand and Bell. A bus ride here from Glendale to downtown would be about 2 hours, I haven't ridden the bus since I was in HS so I could be wrong, but there is no point to go downtown unless you are going for an event or working. We also have dial-a-ride here which is pretty cheap for Surprise residents at less than $2 a ride I think if you stay in the NW valley and like $4 for Sun City residents, I will put a link at the bottom you can research that yourself.

As for tours there is a ton of stuff from all over the valley that will take groups of people to the casinos or the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tombstone and others. Just a quick google search I found a tour from north phoenix that goes through Sedona to the Grand Canyon for $160, an entire day trip.

Providing Public Transportation Alternatives for the Greater Phoenix Metro Area | Valley Metro | Dial-A-Ride

Yes, I forgot to mention Dial-A-Ride. Note that some cities require ADA certification in order to use Dial-A-Ride, thus you have to be evaluated at Valley Metro's ADA office.


Also, there are several different Dial-A-Ride providers in the Valley, and Dial-A-Ride service in the West Valley is very fragmented with three different providers (Northwest Valley Dial-A-Ride, Peoria Dial-A-Ride, and Glendale Dial-A-Ride). The best Dial-A-Ride system in the Phoenix area is East Valley Dial-A-Ride, which serves Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Guadalupe, and Paradise Valley (the latter also served by Phoenix Dial-A-Ride for trips between Paradise Valley and Phoenix).

[wizfourfam]

Check out Sun City or Sun City West. Both have apartments, condos and homes to rent. Hospitals, doctors, shopping and restaurants are located in and near those communities. They offer wonderful rec centers with amenities and clubs galore. Nice bonuses are planned bus trips to many area attractions along with daily transportation to the casinos. There are shuttles to the airport, taxis but minimal public transportation here. Driving is the main way to get around.

I would recommend checking these communities out online and then visiting to get a true feel. The visitors centers in these communities have a wealth of information. Good luck and have fun searching!

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by AZ Manager

Further northwest, north, and east you go the safer it gets. There are pockets of poverty and crime in most areas of the valley. There is also large shopping centers in all parts of the valley so unless your parents want to go to events constantly there is no real need to be near downtown. Retired people are more concerned with health services when they move here which is why they tend to live northwest valley, Surprise and Sun City, or east valley, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, and AJ. You wont find good healthcare in the metro area and your budget will not support being in a safe neighborhood in the metro area. In Sun City you can drive gold carts around and in Surprise the traffic is pretty good except right at Grand and Bell. A bus ride here from Glendale to downtown would be about 2 hours, I haven't ridden the bus since I was in HS so I could be wrong, but there is no point to go downtown unless you are going for an event or working.

I disagree with a lot of this. We are retired and live near downtown and enjoy accessibility to light rail, restaurants, etc. Safety is no more of an issue than anywhere else in the Valley. It's a moot point, though, because you won't find what you want in the $700-$800 range most likely.

[D.Rock]

Encore on First

Close to light rail located in Mesa downtown area. Not sure what the rent is but it is catered toward senior housing. They are building another tower next to it. If they want to be in NW area I think Sun City area is the best bet.