On yesterday's edition of Menifee Valley Talk Radio, Therese Daniels and Mieke Jacobs spent a portion of their show talking about property values in Sun City Core, and how the 55+ age requirement has worsened the situation.

Therese was asked if Sun City Core was always a 55+ community, to which she said, "no". Here's her answer, as transcribed from the show...

Therese: No. This has been my beef and my debate for sometime now. When Del Webb founded Sun City in the 1960s, mid-1960s, he founded it as an 18+ community. It was an adult-only community as age 18+, not 55. It remained like that until 1997. In 1997, one of the board members, Jean Loberge, I think that was her name, started a project called "Project 55". In order to... You see this is in the CC&Rs. In order to get something changed in the CC&Rs, one has to get a petition of at least 250.

Then after the petition is signed, then it goes to a ballot and then it's taken to general vote. What happened is, there was a little chicanery there. After she got her 250 signatures, I don't know what she was thinking, probably sitting around thinking, "Oh God, it's so much work to take this to the ballot, they're going to approve it anyhow. Why don't I just save them time and money." She took, and went over to the County Recorder, and recorded that, that there was a majority approval, and that we are now a 55+ community.

Nobody at the County Recorder's office challenged that. Now that is about as corrupt, and about as dishonest as you can get. But by golly let somebody grow verbenia, and if they don't like those flowers, those verbenia, they will literally fine the people and say you can get rid of those, they're weeds!

You know, they want everbody to conform to their arbitrary ways, but yet they wanna break every law and get away with it.

Now, and for the last, uh, since 1997 or 98, when they did that and recorded that, there was only one signature, ONE SIGNATURE, and that uh, filing. By the way not all seven board members, just her signature. Now, I just can't begin to you tell how outrageous that is. I hope that answers her question.

Mieke: In the um, Hi Therese, in the History of Sun City, which is kind of a proud, published item, how is that justified? How is that recorded, that in 1997 they moved to a 55, was that for convenience sake, or how is that looked at now?

Therese: Well that's a good question, and there's a mix. Some people just love the idea of a 55+. They hate the idea of families, they don't want children skateboarding in front of their house, and uh, they like to think that, you know, this is just a nice quiet little place for little old people to live.

Uh, but other people, and a large percentage of them, resented for one thing, it keeps their property values down, their opportunities to sell are less, because it's a limited market, because your buyers... Well a buyer could be younger than 55 to own a home in Sun City, but you must be 55+ to live in Sun City. Most buyers, if they're buying retired homes, are buying homes to live in. So this limits the buyers by as much as 60%. And in a slow market like this one, that's like you know, bringing it to a stand-still.

The market has just about come to a halt. And yet we have the best buys around. We have some of the best buys around today. And they can't even give them away!

Mieke: There are actually some nice homes in Sun City right now, for under a $100,000.

Therese: Yeah! You know, this is really truly a buyer's market. Not only are the homes available under that price, the interest rates low, very very low, the sellers are desperate out there, they'll do almost anything to make a sale. A buyer could come in and take advantage of this market. And as the real estate market pendulum swings, which as we've talked about before, it always does, they're going to have a very nice little investment for themselves.

Therese went on to explain that Sun City Core can change the community back to 18+, by running another petition and putting it to ballot.

Albeit the entire real estate market in Southern California is still in the dumps, Sun City Core's market is even worse because the 55+ requirement makes it very difficult to find buyers. That in turn made property values fall even further.

Labels: History, Sun-City, Sun-City-Civic-Association

I know there are many Sun City Core residents who are against the Menifee Cityhood effort. I don't exactly understand the reasons why they are against it, aside from the notion that they don't want the core area to be under the influence of Menifee.

But it's either that, or be under the control of Perris.

An article published today in the Press Enterprise basically says what I've been trying to say all along...

But Daugherty believes all the legal wrangling clearly shows that if the Menifee area does not incorporate into its own city, it will eventually belong to Perris.

"We're ripe, we're ready to go and we're feasible. If we don't become a city (Perris) is going to annex us. I can see them going down both sides of Ethanac (Road) and both sides of the 215 right down the corridor through Menifee and Romoland".

You can read the whole article here...
http://www.pe.com/..../PE_News_Local_S_sperris08.4234f45.html

Before there was a "Menifee Valley Incorporation Committee", there was another group called, "CEDCO". CEDCO was formed by a group of Sun City Core residents, concerned over reports that Perris was looking to annex their neighborhood. CEDCO eventually spawned off the present-day Menifee Valley Incorporation Committee.

In other words, an annexation threat from Perris is what spawned the entire Menifee cityhood effort. That threat hasn't gone away folks. It's only gotten bigger.

To all of you Sun City Core residents: If Menifee cityhood fails, you'll all become Perris residents. Continuing under County administration is no longer an option.

So pick which city you want to be controlled by: Perris, or Menifee.

Labels: Cityhood, Perris, Sun-City

3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone will be holding "demolition party" on Wednesday, November 28, 2007, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

He'll be demolishing the old gas station on the corner of Cherry Hills Blvd & Bradley Rd. The land that it sits on now belongs to the Sun City Library, and the demolition will make way for library expansion.

There will be free refreshments and giveways.

Labels: Jeff-Stone, Library, Sun-City

Ted Wegener, a real estate appraiser specializing in Sun City, has published some new information on his website showing the average value of a home in Sun City Core is about $145.00 per square foot as of May 2007.

This figure is down about $20.00 per square foot from a year ago...

HERE IS A TREND ANALYSIS OF PRICE PER SQFT IN THE SUN CITY CORE. PRICE PER SQFT ANALYSIS IS OFTEN USED BY REALTORS IN PRICING PROPERTY. IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT ABOUT DECLINING VALUES IN SUN CITY THIS SHOULD RESOLVE IT. THE ANALYSIS IS FOR THE PERIOD 5/01/2006 THRU 5/31/2007. AS YOU CAN SEE PRICES ARE DOWN APPROX. $20 PSF IN THE LAST YEAR. THATS $20,000 ON A 1000 SQFT HOUSE. IN THE CORE THERE ARE CURRENTLY (6/14/2007) 123 HOMES FOR SALE. IN MAY THERE WAS 22 SALES WHICH IS .70 SALES PER DAY. IT WOULD TAKE 6 MONTHS TO DISPOSE OF THE STANDING INVENTORY.

You can see a graph of his findings on his website...
http://www.suncityappraiser.com/suncitypricepersqft.htm

Labels: Property-Values, Real-Estate, Sun-City

Ted Wegener, a real estate appraiser specializing in Sun City, posted an update on his website about the current market conditions in the Sun City "Core"...

http://www.suncityappraiser.com/ currentmarketconditions.htm

Here's one of his paragraphs...

The spring/summer home buying season has failed to materialize here. The buyers that are out there are the bargain hunters according to the agents. If June continues on the same way, it will be a miserable season. July and August are extremely hot months here (weather wise) and that itself is a damper on the market. A lot of people prefer not to look for houses when the heat peaks up. Agents are worried. 31% of the active listing have had price reductions.

Ted goes on to provide a graph showing May sales data for the past six years, depicting average sales price, contrasted with the average number of days on the market. Needless to say, prices have dropped by about 20% according to his numbers, and the average days on the market have shot up to almost 4 months.

Labels: Real-Estate, Sun-City

I was going through some old newspapers when I found an article about Sun City, California. The article was dated October 23, 1969, and appeared in the LaVerne Leader.

It goes into detail about Del Webb's innovative new sales technique that eliminated the traditional practice of building a set of model homes apart from the rest of the homes. Instead, they scattered their models throughout the community, and allowed people to buy them on the spot. This way potential buyers could see the models at various places around the community, and get a better idea of what the environments looked like.

The article also goes on to discuss the Sun City Shopping Center, and throws out numbers and figures. Good stuff for history buffs.

I transcribed the entire article below. Of course, the article is still under copyright protection, but being so old, I hope the folks at LaVerne Leader won't mind...

SUN CITY - They call this Del E. Webb Corporation resort retirement community Sun City for a reason.

Here, is the tranquil Menifee Valley in Riverside County, the smogless and blue skies have contributed more to the economic and demographic growth than anything, officials say.

Sun City's location 25 miles south of Riverside on U.S 395 is sun-drenched most of the year, and because of the climate and population increase has been somewhat surprising to Del E. Webb Corp. Sun City executives.

It has been the catalyst that has forced the Del E. Webb Corp to initiate a building program that calls for both commercial and housing expansion at Sun City, now with 6,400 population.

The company will construct immediately $1 million in new homes and add $800,000 in commercial construction to the $1.6 million Sun City shopping center, reports Joe Aubin, Project Manager.

Aubin said Sun City has launched a different sales approach to its model home complex, and it has already responsible for the sale of $500,000 in new dwellings.

Heretofore, he said, Sun City prided itself in the display of model homes in a special area. Now, a completely new approach to model home exhibit is being achieved.

Aubin said the company will start its model home exhibit program with the construction of 20 models, valued at $500,000.

The models will be scattered throughout the expanding areas of Sun City, and they will be sold upon immediate demand, Aubin said.

He said this approach is in reverse of the traditional, which has been to build a model home complex and permit potential buyers to make tours of the models.


"All units will be available for immediate sale and occupancy whenever demanded", says E. Wayne Grippin, project sales manager for the Del E. Webb Corp. "We are in the position of constructing a series of new models on a continuing basis. This eliminates the model area and provides greater flexibility to people who get the opportunity to study the environment as it really is."

The homes are brand new designs, fresh from the drawing boards of Del E. Webb Corp. architects in Phoenix, Arizona. He said home sales will be directed from a new sales headquarters to be located at the Sun City entrance from U.S. 395.

Detailing Sun City's 1969 growth, Aubin said that the Sun City shopping center should gross $4 million this year, up about 10% over 1968.

Additions to the shopping center area are seven new shops and one service station. A $500,000 Safeway store is expected to start construction soon.

Other expansion moves include increasing the size of the Sun City community recreation center and the travel trailer parking area and planned additions are the Perris Masonic Lodge and County Fire Station. A U.S. Post Office was constructed recently.

Sun City already has a 7,000-ft. regulation golf course. In December, it will open another golf course, one block away. The new golf course will 3,817 yds. and par 61. "It should relieve the playing pressure on the regulation course", says Aubin. The new course cost $500,000.

Aubin reports that 254 home were sold last year at Sun City, with a real estate value of $6,350,000. He says home sales this year will approach this figure.

Besides the climate, Aubin says, one of the greatest attractions of Sun City is the community recreation center with its more than 100 clubs and activities, including swimming, shuffleboard, lawnbowling and social, hobby, travel and civic groups.

"Residents of Sun City are the cream of the nation's retired intellectuals and professionals," he says. "Your neighbor may be a former football player or actor, or he may be an economist or an archaeologist. They have come here from state in the union and from 15 foreign countries."

He says Sun City features both single-family and apartment environments. The new Sun City homes, priced $20,790 to $32,990, are designed in the manner of Contemporary, Mediterranean, and Spanish, and there is on that instills the architectual flavor of old fashioned country living.

Sun City is reaching via the San Bernardino Freeway, right at the Riverside-Corona off-ramp to U.S. 60 and then left to U.S. 395.

Labels: History, Sun-City

I received the following from L. Ortega, who's willing to spend some time improving the community in Sun City.

Good day Sir/Madam,

I am an active duty member of our elite Armed Forces, I commute daily from our house in Sun City to Camp Pendleton. My family and I have been living here in this wonderful City for over 1 year now and I have seen some areas where we, as members of this community, could help out and do our best to keep our community as safe as possible and free of gangs and vicious people that should not belong here.

I would like to have the opportunity to meet with other community members and be an active member to help improve the living standards of our community.

Our Senior Citizens are a wonderful part of this Community, I think they probably are under the impression that, we came "to invade" their territory and it is only right for us to offer our respect and treat them as such respectable members of this community.

I would love to have the opportunity to help in any way I can, I look forward to hearing from you and your fellow Leaders in a very near future.

r/s

L. Ortega
Papash2003@aol.com

If anyone can make use of an able and willing body to make a noticeable change in Sun City, please contact him, or post a comment below.

Update (Feb 25, 2006): Mr. Ortega's address and phone number removed per request

Labels: Sun-City

The Riverside County Economic Development Agency is looking into ways to fund improvements in the Sun City/Quail Valley Community. One solution could be the adoption of a redevelopment plan, which would create a flexible source of revenue without raising taxes.

Redevelopment is one of the most effective ways to breathe new life into existing communities which are in need of social, physical, environmental or economic assistance and are lacking new investment and private enterprise. Over time, communities without the infusion of these resources may become "blighted". For example, key businesses and jobs move out of the area, residential neighborhoods show signs of age, or social amenities close down along main streets.

We need your input and want to hear from you regarding projects or areas that you could be covered under the redevelopment.

Please take a minute to review the areas of redevelopment and rank them in importance to you. If there is something that is not listed, please provide the information under "other". Rank as least important: 1 to Most Important: 5.
If Sun City were to become a part of the redevelopment plans, we would like to the focus to be on:

1. Attracting new jobs and businesses _______
2. Create more affordable housing _______
3. Stimulate private reinvestment in local neighborhoods and businesses_____
4. Reduce crime _____
5. Stimulate development of downtown improvement programs _____
6. Stimulate private investment and help rehabilitate homes and businesses ____
7. Build or improve roads, utilities and public facilities ______
8. Preserve open space______
9. Transform hazardous waste sites (called brownfields) into productive uses ____
10. Create, adopt and/or implement specific plans ______
11. Initiate and fund comprehensive planning efforts ______

Other:_____________________________________


Please e-mail this to info@menifeesuncitychamber.com or fax back to 951-723-8513. Many thanks for weighing in your opinion! The chamber promises to get this information into the hands of the right people who will make the difference in Menifee Valley.

Labels: Quail-Valley, Redevelopment, Sun-City

An anonymous person posted the following comment on our "About" page. I removed it from the About page, and put it here so that it can be discussed on its own. I think it reflects a popular sentiment among Sun City residents.

I am curious as to why Menifee doesn't have it's own Chamber of Commerce in Menifee? Is there some reason why they are attached to Sun City's Chamber? I have lived in the "core" for 3 years and have a feeling that outsiders would like to take Sun City over and let anyone and everyone live here. What is the story here?

- Anonymous

The fact is that Both Menifee and Sun City (and Quail Valley too) are effectively one community, as defined by the Local Area Formation Committee (LAFCO), the state agency in charge of helping communities incorporate into cities. If Menifee should incorporate, Menifee, Sun City, and Quail Valley will all fuse into one city.

But that doesn't mean Sun City will cease to exist. Sun City will still be Sun City, and it will still have its "55 and better" age requirement.

If Sun City is under any kind of threat, it is from the folks in charge of governing its rules and regulations. I'm not saying that certain unnamed individuals are posing problems, but rather, that these people have the ability to keep Sun City as it is, and also of course, the home owners who elect them.

As for the Chambers of Commerce, they have no governmental powers. So, they are not contributing to anything going on in Sun City. Certainly the County takes an interest in the two Chambers, but only because the people in the Chamber are eager to help the County achieve its goals. But there's no need to worry about the Chambers.

As for outsiders taking over Sun City, obviously you and the rest of the Core have the say in who gets to buy a home there. But as for all the teens and loud cars making noise up and down McCall and Bradley, well there are two issues going on...

1. The Sheriff doesn't have the funds to provide additional policing for Sun City and Menifee. Basically what we've got, is a little sub-station in Perris, and whatever CHP car that happens to be driving along Newport at the time. So, you can talk to Supervisor Stone about that.

2. All these young families moving into Menifee, and hogging up the tables at Coco's, are just regular folks who needed affordable homes. You and the people who bought homes in Sun City can't complain about this, because you were all newcomers at one time as well. Everyone here is a contributor to the crowding.

Labels: Sun-City

I was appalled to read in The Californian today about the thrift store in Sun City being vandalised and burglarized on a regular basis. What kind of person steals from a thrift store? Particularly one that raises money for charity?

Perhaps while donating to charity is among the noblest of deeds, stealing from charity is the lowest form of scum.

I hope that now this story has been published, folks will keep a vigilant eye, and whoever is doing this will get busted.

Labels: Sun-City, Vandalism