Smaller Southern cities target retirees

By ADRIAN SAINZ

Attention retirees, smaller cities throughout the South want you.

Six Southern states have marketing programs identifying some of their less populated counties, cities or towns as "certified retirement communities."

These are not gated subdivisions bristling with new homes. Rather, they are cities and towns eager to lure the growing 55-and-over adults and their money.

Certified retirement communities claim to have the right mix of affordable housing, proximity to medical care, a relatively low cost of living, and recreational and cultural opportunities for retirees who are staying active longer.

But it remains to be seen if this is a trend other states will follow, or if these programs are just quick-fix marketing campaigns that fall short of producing long-term, sustainable interest in their towns. The marketing programs only spotlight the positives of each city, making them just one of many sources of information a retiree should use if they decide to relocate.

Currently, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina have state-supported retirement community programs, with North Carolina's in early development.

West Virginia's program is privately run, with state involvement. Kentucky stopped its marketing program due to funding cuts, but a handful of that state's cities still promote themselves as certified retirement communities. The origins of Mississippi's program dates back to the mid-1990s.

There is no national program for certified retirement communities, and there's no standard certification process. Rather, each state sets its criteria which are generally based on factors including the availability of affordable housing, tax breaks, continuing education, health care, emergency medical services, public transportation and even performing arts and sports. The American Association of Retirement Communities does give a seal of approval for cities and developments it deems worthy, whether or not they are in these programs. More here.