Rossmoor

Rossmoor is a gated community in Walnut Creek, California, with a population of about 9200. It was one of the first "active adult" communities for residents 55 years or older in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Community description
There are now 9,200 residents in the gated community, with business and public services (such as the supermarket and post office) just outside the main gate.

Rossmoor itself is within the city limits of Walnut Creek and it is usually considered part of that community. Each home must have one resident aged 55 or older. Rossmoor is governed by the board of directors of the Golden Rain Foundation, a non-profit corporation that manages the common areas of the community. The board members are elected from nine districts made up of the Mutual Corporations, or homeowners' associations.

Although many of the homes are low-cost for the area, especially the cooperative apartments, the difficulty in financing purchase of such units, the monthly homeowners' association fees, and the income requirements set by the community make living in Rossmoor difficult for seniors living mostly on Social Security.

Demographic and political changes
As baby boomers began to reach retirement age and look at or move into Rossmoor, the nature of the community began to change. Fraternal organizations that had been very important in Rossmoor activities and charitable activities faded, as older members died or moved on and newer residents pursued different activities. A number of newer residents complained of the way the community was managed, including rapidly increasing monthly fees, lack of programs of interest to new residents, and lack of open governance.