Centennial Village in Mesa, AZ

Pros

• Centennial Village has beautiful grounds to view.
• The swimming pool is inviting with crystal-clear water.
• The community keeps up on work orders and makes repairs usually within 48 hours.
• Air filters are changed monthly, a convenient service that is consistently provided.
• The staff is very nice, and Heather the Manager is attentive to follow up on concerns.
• Maintenance staff are awesome and work hard to ensure the apartments run smoothly.
• Pest control is effective; residents report that roaches are not an ongoing issue.
• The complex recently installed brand-new washers and dryers, providing on-site laundry facilities on each floor.
• The office staff, including Heather, are responsive and helpful.
• The campus is park-like and peaceful, with amenities such as a Ramada, pool, and walkways connecting buildings.
• Centennial Village is well maintained, clean, and safe, with a staff that is always responsive to needs.
• Residents describe the community as welcoming, warm, and home-like.

Cons

• They were removed from the waiting list despite submitting all required documents.
• The action was believed to be motivated by race and disability, constituting racial discrimination.
• The property's condition is unacceptable, with dirty hallways, overflowing trash, mold or water damage, pest sightings, peeling paint, broken locks, and stained carpeting.
• These issues are not minor and create an unhealthy and unsafe living environment.
• It was retraumatizing and disturbing.
• The grounds look horrible, and the recreation center and office are hardly ever open.
• The property is infested with bedbugs, and management won't treat the entire place, causing re-infestation and charging low-income elderly tenants for treatments.
• They discourage residents from using bug spray in their apartments.

Review

Centennial Village in Mesa, AZ is best suited for active seniors seeking an affordable, independent lifestyle on a park-like campus with real social texture and practical conveniences. The community emphasizes maintenance and resident services, offering a pool, library, community room, and exercise facilities amid landscaped grounds and walkable connections among buildings. One-bedroom units typically accommodate 1?2 occupants, with rent that can be based on income to aid budgeting. Mobility-friendly features appear common, including walk-in showers, enclosed patios, and automatic doors, with on-site laundry nearby. The location supports everyday living with nearby stores, medical offices, and accessible public transit, including a free shuttle link to key local destinations. This combination makes independence durable for many seniors.

Alternatives should be considered by anyone who needs more hands-on care than independent living provides, or who prioritizes an immaculate, fully pest-free environment across the entire property. A handful of reviews raise caution about discrimination, waiting-list handling, and inconsistent condition in some parts of the campus, suggesting real risk for residents seeking clear, predictable processes. For families sensitive to written policies, timely communications, and uniform maintenance standards, Centennial Village may not satisfy. Those requiring daily assistance, memory care, or continuous medical oversight will likely need to look elsewhere.

On the upside, the strongest selling points are responsive, courteous staff and a maintenance culture that keeps things running. Work orders are described as resolved quickly, sometimes within hours, with technicians known for professionalism. The grounds and facilities are repeatedly praised as well kept, with greenery, walkways, and common spaces that support social contact. Residents emphasize the pool, Ramada, and overall campus ambiance, along with practical touches like updated laundry facilities and proactive on-site management. The affordability angle - income-based rent - makes this a pragmatic choice for budgets that can't support market-rate options, while transit access and proximity to stores bolster everyday independence.

Yet a minority of reviews raise serious concerns. One account alleges discriminatory treatment and removal from the waiting list, paired with broader claims of unsafe conditions and deferred maintenance, including mold and pest sightings. Another mentions ongoing bedbug issues and remediation gaps, with penalties assessed to low-income tenants. These outliers don't erase the positive day-to-day experiences, but they do warrant due diligence. Prospective renters should request written explanations of deadlines and policies, verify pest-control history, and inspect common areas for cleanliness and safety before committing. A careful buyer's eye is essential to separate the strong everyday performance from isolated problems.

Evaluating Centennial Village requires a practical checklist: tour the campus at different times, speak with multiple residents about maintenance responsiveness, and confirm the exact terms of the income-based rent. Confirm unit features for mobility needs, such as grab bars, walk-in showers, and accessible door hardware. Scrutinize the pest-control record and recent service responses, and request written policies on deadlines, transfers, and waitlists. Verify transportation options, nearby services, and available social programming to ensure the lifestyle aligns with expectations for an active retirement and community life.

Bottom line: Centennial Village offers solid value for seniors prioritizing independence, social connection, and dependable maintenance in a welcoming Mesa setting. It works best for those who value affordability, good transit links, and a responsive staff, with amenities that support an engaging daily routine. It is less suitable for residents needing hands-on care, those requiring a spotless, campus-wide pest-control record, or anyone seeking ironclad, uniform policy guarantees. Prospective movers should enter with clear expectations, demand written policies, and verify experiences directly from current residents. When aligned, Centennial Village can be a warm, budget-conscious home that supports a self-directed, sociable retirement.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• Walgreens (3.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Mesa Arizona Temple (1.8 miles)
• Salt River Assembly of God (3 miles)
• Kingdom Hall (5.6 miles)
• Islamic Community Center of Tempe (5.9 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (6.3 miles)
• First United Methodist Church of Gilbert (6.6 miles)

Restaurants

• Restaurant Huauchinangos Mexican Food (2 miles)
• McDonald's (2.1 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.1 miles)
• Green Corner Restaurant (3.1 miles)
• Hibachi Grill Super Buffet (3.2 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (3.4 miles)
• Bar Louie - Tempe Marketplace (3.9 miles)

Physicians

• Riviera Opticare (2.8 miles)
• Southwest Endoscopy & Srgcntr (4.9 miles)
• Glick Ronald M Do (5.2 miles)
• Gilbert Primary Care (5.5 miles)
• Scottsdale Cardiovascular Center (6 miles)
• Azam Medical Clinic (6.2 miles)
• 20/20 Image Eye Centers (6.5 miles)

Theaters

• Harkins Tempe Marketplace 16 (3.8 miles)
• AMC Mesa Grand 14 (4 miles)
• Alamo Drafthouse Tempe (6.4 miles)

Parks

• Daumler Park (3.9 miles)
• Selleh Park (4.5 miles)
• Greenfield Park (6 miles)
• Tempe Beach Park (6.2 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (4.1 miles)
• Infusion Coffee & Tea (4.9 miles)
• Starbucks (5.3 miles)
• Bikini Beans Espresso (5.3 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (5.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.5 miles)
• Starbucks (5.6 miles)

Transportation

• METRO University Dr /Rural (5.4 miles)
• Falcon Field Airport (MSC) (6.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Greenbaum Surgery Center (6.4 miles)