With the exception of the 10 or so rental houses, this neighborhood is referred to as "wrinkle acres". Originally, it was a big loop of little brick bungalows that served as retirement housing, and they used to be able to enforce it somehow. There are a few houses with younger families in them, and the older people hate us. In some cases, I can see why...I mean, I can't stand our redneck neighbors either...but young doesn't equal troublesome redneck, you know? But they treat us all the same.
The place has the atmosphere of an old-people gang. If you're under 70, you're suspect. Most people are in their eighties and nineties, and some even have gatherings in their driveways....you'll see a big ring of motorized wheelchairs in a driveway here and there. When I go walking or riding my trike (yes, I ride an adult trike, I'm disabled and can't ride a bike), I get stared at. Every time I notice someone staring, I wave and say hi. Without exception, they just stare at me and shuffle away.
I was out walking the neighborhood tonight with the boyfriend, and two different men stopped to stare at us. Both times I raised my hand in greeting and called, "Hi", and both times the guys just walked off without any acknowledgement whatsoever. Excuse me for being 31 and walking through your damn subdivision!
I try to be friendly, I really do. And I'm not just imagining it...I've been out with gatherings of neighborhood ladies (most in their seventies and eighties) where there's been a great deal of bitching about the young (sixty and under) people in the neighborhood. The fact that there's no age-discrimination in selling the bungalows now seems to be a real point of contention. People just need to get over themselves and get along