Friendly Valley

Friendly Valley Country Club is Santa Clarita's most established 55+ community, spread across 200 oak-shaded acres in the Newhall section of the Santa Clarita Valley just north of Los Angeles. Ground was broken in the early 1960s and the community grew steadily over four decades, wrapping up with its final phase of fully detached homes in 2004 for a total of 1,290 residences. Homes range from roughly 600 to 1,500 square feet — all single-story (with only a handful not at ground level) — offering both attached townhome-style units and detached single-family homes. The community is governed by a Recreational Association plus 13 individual sub-associations, each setting its own monthly dues, which is why HOA ranges from about $410 to $540 per month depending on the section. What sets Friendly Valley apart in Santa Clarita is the breadth of what's bundled into the HOA. Dues cover not just the common areas but also exterior maintenance of your home, roof and paint upkeep, fire and earthquake insurance on the structure, landscaping, cable TV, internet, and trash and recycle pickup. Access to both on-site golf courses is included with no separate membership — a private 9-hole Executive course and an 18-hole pitch-and-putt — along with a golf lounge where residents gather after a round. A limited 5-mile-radius community shuttle operates by reservation for residents who don't drive. The main recreation campus is anchored by an Olympic-size year-round heated pool and spa with men's and women's locker rooms, plus a 600-seat auditorium that hosts the Little Theater Group, a rustic fieldstone fireside lounge, library, card rooms, woodshop, ceramics studio, sewing studio, billiard room, and multi-purpose ballroom with catering kitchen. Outside you'll find shuffleboard courts, lawn bowling greens, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, bocce, and BBQ picnic areas — plus on-site RV parking available for a low annual fee. The entire village is a smoke-free campus. Social life here is a defining feature. A full-time activities director coordinates more than 40 resident-run clubs and organizations covering just about every interest: Men's and Women's Golf Clubs, Lawn Bowls, Bingo, Bridge, Cribbage, Book Club, Aerobic Exercise, Tai Chi, Line Dancing, Tap, Arts & Crafts, Doll & Ceramics, Veterans Club, Jewish Community, Catholic Social & Women's Club, Bible Study, City of Hope Chapter, F.V. Travelers, Vacation Club, Roadrunners, Morning Glories, Over the Hill Gang, Breakfast Club, and the Little Theater Group, to name a sampling. Bingo on Wednesdays is a community staple, and the little community church rounds out the on-site amenities. Security is handled by a 24/7 guard-gated main entrance on Friendly Valley Parkway off Sierra Highway, with resident card access through additional north and south gates and neighborhood patrols. Spouses as young as 45 are permitted under the age rules. The location is a practical one: the CA-14 Antelope Valley Freeway is minutes away via the Golden Valley and Via Princessa on/off ramps, putting the San Fernando Valley within easy reach and downtown Los Angeles within commuting distance. For buyers priced out of Valencia's newer master-planned developments, Friendly Valley has long been the most affordable entry point into gated 55+ living in the Santa Clarita Valley.