Changes

With the exception of small parts which overlap existing cities, the majority of the community is located outside of any city jurisdiction.<ref>The official governmental term for an area not within a municipality is "unincorporated area".  Excluding those parts within cities, for census purposes the community is referred to as a "census-designated place" or CDP.</ref>

With the exception of small parts which overlap existing cities, the majority of the community is located outside of any city jurisdiction.<ref>The official governmental term for an area not within a municipality is "unincorporated area".  Excluding those parts within cities, for census purposes the community is referred to as a "census-designated place" or CDP.</ref>

Originally formed in the 1960's as a mobile home park called '''Orange Blossom Gardens''', the development grew substantially in the mid-1980's due to the marketing success of H. Gary Morse, son of one of the original founders.  Morse realized that the most successful developments featured well-maintained amenities and nearby extensive commercial development (e.g. grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) and began to purchase large tracts of land in adjacent areas.

Originally formed in the 1960s as a mobile home park called '''Orange Blossom Gardens''', the development grew substantially in the mid-1980s due to the marketing success of H. Gary Morse, son of one of the original founders.  Morse realized that the most successful developments featured well-maintained amenities and nearby extensive commercial development (e.g. grocery stores, restaurants, etc.) and began to purchase large tracts of land in adjacent areas.

Morse also took advantage of unique provisions of Florida law which allows his company to essentially run the area as a mini-government in perpetuity.  The Villages is divided primarily into 13 "community development districts" (which are governed by residents, handle local issues such as paving and street lights, and are paid for by special assessments included within the property tax bills).<ref>Some portions of The Villages are located within the territorial limits of existing cities; those areas are not covered by the CDD's.</ref>  However, The Villages is also under the jurisdiction of four development districts which are structured in such a manner that they have NO residents (only commercial and developer-owned property); as such, Morse's company has the legal right to nominate company employees or affiliates to the districts' boards.  These larger boards maintain the numerous amenities for which The Villages is world-renowned (such as nearly 50 golf courses: for many years the advertising slogan was "Free Golf For Life", technically inaccurate as the courses are paid for by monthly amenity fees charged to each property owner).

Morse also took advantage of unique provisions of Florida law which allows his company to essentially run the area as a mini-government in perpetuity.  The Villages is divided primarily into 13 "community development districts" (which are governed by residents, handle local issues such as paving and street lights, and are paid for by special assessments included within the property tax bills).<ref>Some portions of The Villages are located within the territorial limits of existing cities; those areas are not covered by the CDD's.</ref>  However, The Villages is also under the jurisdiction of four development districts which are structured in such a manner that they have NO residents (only commercial and developer-owned property); as such, Morse's company has the legal right to nominate company employees or affiliates to the districts' boards.  These larger boards maintain the numerous amenities for which The Villages is world-renowned (such as nearly 50 golf courses: for many years the advertising slogan was "Free Golf For Life", technically inaccurate as the courses are paid for by monthly amenity fees charged to each property owner).