At about paragraphs 9 and 10, CRIME is discussed. It is stated, "crime picks an easy target such as seniors and UNOCCUPIED homes" (snowbirds). This has NOT changed since the INCEPTION of the 1st Village. Personally, I have had $5,000 worth of tools stolen (crime NEVER solved and nothing returned). The Villages will ALWAYS be a Bubble occupied by RICH, mostly caucasian, OLDER, and more VULNERABLE people. The Villages seems to have plenty of medical doctors and veterinarians to survive the senior population. Personally, I don't feel that the POLICE presence is NOT ADEQUATE as compared to the medical presence........it is TOO BAD that the medical and doggy docs are NOT required to be part-time Policepeople. Then we ALL could feel safe from crime ( that was a joke.......for those that get confused by dry humor)
.........The Villages also needs to try some innovative things (like England) and have neighborhood cameras monitored by experts that can call in a rapid Police response to an ongoing crime. How about dirigibles with cameras and remote control? There is a Villages club that can fly rovers and could help with that technology.
...........With or without large-scale unemployment, The Villages will always be a target due to its wealth being many times greater that the surrounding locals' wealth.
...........Right now, today the whole US has relatively LOW unemployment. BUT, big but, MURDERS have been on the rise for the last several years.
.........At about Paragraph 10, this statement was made," History has shown that crime WOULD spike with UNEMPLOYMENT. I would contend that crime is SPIKING as we speak. The statistics for nationwide MURDERS prove that. It won't matter whether The Villages expands or NOT - I believe that crime will increase here in The Villages if nothing is improved as far as Police presence and/or improved crime-preventing technology is PURCHASED.
..........Recent visitors that I have talked with from UP NORTH who were SCOUTING out The Villages for possible home purchase were 1st taken aback by the constant news of murders in Orlando and then they were perplexed about the lack of Police release of information about the Applebees GUN violence. It seemed like the wild west to them. They have scratched Florida off for their re-location plans. Incidentally, they tried the beaches around Sarasota and were sickened by the RED TIDE they encountered. And they were further SICKENED by the lack of warning and the reporting about Red Tide. They felt like they fell into a trap of limited information and maybe even the Florida Chamber of Commerce PURPOSEFULLY misleading people as to the health problem they encountered. I advised them to visit the Carolinas because of the summer HEAT problems in Florida.
......Basically, Florida in general has many HIDDEN problems (including roads and excess traffic) that DO NOT seem to be being ADDRESSED. These problems will eventually come to the attention of the majority of retirees that are potential Villages home BUYERS. You can't fool ALL the potential buyers ALL the time. That could become more evident and hit just at the time that The Villages is TRYING to expand.
...........So, does The Villages' future expansiveness seem prudent and LIKELY to happen............................................ ............................MAYBE ???????
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