Youngtown, AZ 378 Apartments for Rent

Youngtown has quite the ironic name. Or, maybe it was an exercise in positive thinking. Youngtown was started as a retirement community that excluded young people. Things have changed quite a bit since then.

Youngtown has the distinction of being the oldest retirement community in the United States. But these days the town is a vibrant area of the Northwest Phoenix Valley of the Sun that is home to 6,156 people of all ages. The area is decidedly small, under two miles of land make up the town, but makes up for its size with a very involved and active community. The town was formed in 1954 when a couple of developers bought up 320 acres of farmland and created the first master-planned adult community in the United States. These men were well ahead of Del Webb and his Sun City community, which is now a neighbor. Things changed for Youngtown in 1996, however, when a resident was denied a request for a 16-year-old to live in Youngtown with them. The Arizona Attorney General got involved and it was determined that this particular bylaw was no good. By 1999, Youngtown was just a regular American town where anyone, and everyone, could live.

Moving to Youngtown

Youngtown has well-defined boundaries. The town is bordered by 111th Avenue to the east and the Agua Fria River to the west. Highway 60 forms the northern border and Olive Avenue the southern. Highway 60, also known as Grand Avenue, is a direct and easy route right into downtown Phoenix or up north if you are heading out of the heat and up to Flagstaff. The famous, and much larger, retirement community of Sun City is on the eastern border.

The community prides itself on keeping things neat, clean and safe by actively involving residents in the community and in enforcing the rules. You won't be having late night blowouts in this town!

There are a few apartment buildings scattered throughout town, but the majority of rental properties in Youngtown are house rentals. This means you will be dealing with a private rental agreement. Either way, complex or private, you'll need to have all your paperwork in order. Be sure to have your ID and proof of your income. Youngtown is big on safety so don't be surprised if you have to endure a credit check or a background check. Work out those cramps in your hand, because you'll likely have to fill out applications for apartments, as well.

Places to rent in Youngtown will require the usual upfront amount of cash. This usually includes the first month of rent and an added security deposit, which can be as much as another month of rent. Sometimes you will also have to have a last month's rent too. There are plenty of pet friendly rentals but you may have to pay an extra deposit in case of pet-related damage and some places even charge a monthly fee just to have a pet. These are a little less common though. The bottom line is that getting into a new rental situation costs money, so be prepared to wave those stacks of cash!

Apartment Complexes in Youngtown

Youngtown House Apartments: Located on Arizona Avenue. Come check out this building if you are looking for the elusive studio apartment for rent because you can find one here. This building also allows pets. Renting here you can easily walk over to Maricopa Lake.

Sun Valley Apartments: Located on 113th Avenue and on a dead end street that ends at the beautiful Agua Fria River, this building offers lovely 1 bedroom apartments with one bath. The building also has its own pool, laundry facilities and a clubhouse for residents to use.

River Bend Apartments: River Bend is on Tennessee Avenue and also dead ends at the Agua Fria River. This building has mostly 1 bedroom apartments but there are also a few 2 bedroom apartments for rent. There is easy access to Highway 60 (Grand Avenue) from this location.

Living in Youngtown

Youngtown prides itself on providing quality living for its residents. There are seven parks in town as well as a lake and many town sponsored events. Your feet will be happy because almost everything is within walking distance!

Alabama Avenue is the main drag through town. There are a few small stores within the city limits such as QuickTrip and Ace Hardware, but you'll have to go just outside for grocery shopping. There is a Safeway and a Fry's grocery store just over the line in Sun City. This is where you'll also find pharmacies, gas stations, and all the essentials.

The Town

The Town Hall and its various offices, known as Clubhouse Square, was a working ranch before being donated to the city in 1961. From this homey atmosphere, the town sets about performing its town duties with great gusto.

For such a small place, Youngtown has an extensive government complete with a Mayor, Town Council, and Town Manager. The town is very, very active in listening to the needs and wants of its citizens and in enforcing the General Plan. There is even a Municipal Court and sitting judge in this small, but extremely independent town.

The Town Hall is not the only building that was part of the ranch. In fact, nearly all of the municipal offices are housed in former ranch buildings. The old bunkhouses for ranch hands house the Court and the Community Development office, an old tack and equipment storage shed house the Public Safety department and a former ranch garage houses the Sheriff's office.

In fact, the Public library on Clubhouse Square is the only new building constructed for the town. It was built in 1994.

Getting Involved

Youngtown strongly encourages community involvement with the Youngtown Citizens' Academy. The town likes to encourage its citizens to become interested and involved in local issues facing the town and to give them a voice in the community planning process. Residents are encouraged and can get support and guidance in becoming leaders by serving on boards and commissions or the Town Council.

Schools

The town, likely because its early focus had been on retirement living, doesn't have any schools within its limits. However, the area is served by the Peoria Unified School District.

The Parks

Greer Park is in the center of town and provides some nice green space and picnic areas that can be reserved. Schleifer Park has a children's play area and picnic areas and Maricopa Lake Park offers walking, picnicking and even fishing!

Events

Youngtown also sponsors a number of annual events for residents to gather and come together for some fun. The most popular is the G.A.I.N event that doubles as an opportunity for the town to celebrate its efforts in crime prevention and providing a safe neighborhood.

Another cool event is Box City. Kids, and adults, can have fun while learning about urban design. Participants will design and build a whole city out of cardboard. Aesthetics count and the 'town' is artfully decorated.

The Winter Miracle Event draws people from all around the area as Youngtown imports snow for the young, and the young-at-heart, to romp around in. Okay, it's not really cold enough for snow and it melts within a day or two, but for a few hours everyone can enjoy the winter wonderland.

No matter what time of year, Youngtown is definitely a place to consider for your next home!