Sans Souci West Mobile Home in Spokane, WA

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Pros

• It’s an excellent place to live out retirement.
• The residents are friendly and active, enjoying the clubhouse and daily activities.
• The park sits along the Spokane River with a beautiful, scenic location.
• The maintenance crew does an excellent job keeping the park clean and safe.
• It offers peace and quiet and a chance to make dear friends.
• It is a quiet gated community by the river with affordable lot rent and a range of amenities.
• The community features a clubhouse, social activities, a pool, a library, and a workout room.
• Wildlife is seen daily, adding to the natural, pleasant atmosphere.
• The area is very pretty with lots of wildlife, and neighbors are supportive.
• It’s a great place for retirees, with beautiful views and many activities for residents.
• The clubhouse is a welcoming, well-equipped space for events and gatherings.
• The riverfront setting makes it peaceful and quaint, with nice views.

Cons

• The park has not been maintained or updated for years, which shows neglect by the Shriners who own it.
• The infrastructure is in very poor condition, with tall, dangerous trees and branches that have fallen on homes.
• The hillside beside several homes has been eroding and has not been reinforced as promised.
• The water system leaks and requires frequent shutoffs, indicating neglect of maintenance.
• PFAS may be present in the drinking water, and the water system is old and poorly maintained.
• The roads are not properly maintained and are full of potholes.
• The Shriners have not reinvested in the community and continue raising lot fees without solving major problems.
• The park is not peaceful due to constant airplane noise overhead.

Review

Sans Souci West is best suited for budget-conscious retirees who want a quiet, river-adjacent 55-plus community with a strong social fabric. The draw is immediate: a gated, peaceful setting along the Spokane River, abundant mature trees, and a clubhouse that supports an active, neighborly culture. Residents tend to be friendly, the area offers wildlife viewing, and the park provides accessible amenities, library, workout room, pool, and ample social events. For those who prize privacy, easy walking in a nature-rich environment, and affordable living with nearby river views, Sans Souci West delivers a compelling lifestyle package without the price tag of newer, more polished developments.

That said, alternatives should be on the radar for anyone who prioritizes modern infrastructure and consistent, investor-level upkeep. Several reviewers flag long-term maintenance neglect by the Shriners who own the land, with persistent concerns about aging water systems, leaky pipes, and unsafe or poorly maintained landscapes. If a resident requires a park that reliably reinvests in roads, drainage, and structural safety, Sans Souci West risks feeling misaligned. The combination of 55-plus exclusivity and a tight budget can be attractive, but the cost of ongoing repairs and potential lease changes makes alternatives worth considering for those who want fewer surprises.

The core positives, scenic riverfront living, low rent, and a robust resident-driven social calendar, often offset the most troublesome drawbacks. The river setting is real: quiet mornings, deer and birds, and a sense of being on a nature walk as you stroll the loop. The clubhouse and resident-run activities create genuine social capital, reducing the isolation that some 55-plus parks struggle with. The park’s affordability is a tangible win for retirees on fixed incomes, and the proximity to nature enhances overall quality of life more than many other mobile-home parks in the region. When management and upkeep cooperate, these strengths create real, daily value.

Where the drawbacks land hardest is in infrastructure and stability. Reviews repeatedly describe a deteriorating overall infrastructure: tall, potentially dangerous trees; eroding hillside instability; roads pocked with potholes; and a water system that has leaked for years, triggering periodic shutoffs. The climate of neglect around capital improvements undermines a sense of long-term security, and in some voices there’s disappointment in how the park handles maintenance requests and communicates timelines. For a resident who expects a well-maintained lot, clear remediation plans, and dependable service from the owning organization, these issues can feel like a constant, low-grade strain.

Two other practical factors merit careful attention. First, the financials can surprise new buyers or purchasers moving in via resale: the lot fee includes water, trash, and septic, but leases can shift costs and, in some cases, utilities may be separated in newer agreements. In addition, there are ongoing concerns about PFAS in the drinking water and the potential for increased utility charges after lease transfers. Second, the noise and disruption from an nearby airport/air base, air traffic variability and occasional overflight, can erode the sense of quiet for some residents, particularly light sleepers. These realities don’t negate the appeal, but they do tilt the balance for families who require absolute predictability on costs and environmental comfort.

In the end, Sans Souci West is a pragmatic choice for those who want riverfront serenity, social engagement, and affordable living within a 55-plus, close-knit community. It works exceptionally well for older adults who value neighborly connection, wildlife-rich surroundings, and a schedule of activities that keep daily life engaging. It is less suitable for buyers who demand continuous, high-level infrastructure investment, aggressive maintenance accountability, or absolute serenity free of aircraft noise. For households weighing options, the decisive questions are whether the value of the river setting and community life outweigh the risks of aging infrastructure and potential lease-driven cost shifts, and whether a more modern, consistently maintained park would better fit long-term retirement goals.

This area of Spokane, Washington offers a variety of amenities that cater to senior living. With numerous restaurants, cafes, and pharmacies within close proximity, residents can easily access dining options and healthcare services. The nearby parks provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation, while the presence of reputable physicians and hospitals ensures quality medical care in the vicinity. Additionally, transportation options such as the Spokane Transit Authority Station make it convenient for seniors to get around the area. Overall, this neighborhood offers a well-rounded environment with essential services and recreational opportunities for seniors looking to settle in a vibrant community.

Restaurants

• Doyle's Ice Cream Parlor (0.7 miles)
• Maxwell House Restaurant (1.1 miles)
• The Backyard Public House (1.1 miles)
• Rancho Chico (1.2 miles)
• Tecate Grill (1.2 miles)
• Vina Asian Restaurant (1.2 miles)
• El Que (1.3 miles)

Cafes

• Hold Your Grounds Espresso (1.1 miles)
• Little Garden Cafe (1.2 miles)
• Browne's Bistro (1.3 miles)
• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• Atticus Coffee & Gifts (2 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (2.3 miles)
• Rocket Bakery (2.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• Medicine Shoppe (1.4 miles)
• Rosauers Supermarkets (1.5 miles)
• Community, A Walgreens Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Yoke's Foods (2.7 miles)
• Yoke's Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Reliant Rx (2.8 miles)

Parks

• Coeur D'Alene Park (1.4 miles)
• Webster Park (1.7 miles)
• Ice Age floods Playground (1.9 miles)
• Riverfront Park (2 miles)
• The United States Pavilion, Expo '74 (2 miles)
• Polly Judd Park (2.1 miles)
• Corbin Park (2.2 miles)

Physicians

• Inland Psychiatry & Psychology (1.9 miles)
• Advanced Hearing Aid Center (2 miles)
• Pulse Heart Institute Cardiology, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Services - Spokane (2.1 miles)
• MultiCare Rockwood Urology Center (2.1 miles)
• Cancer Care Northwest (2.1 miles)
• MultiCare Rockwood Neurology Center (2.1 miles)
• Northwest Pain Care (2.1 miles)

Transportation

• Spokane Transit Authority Sta (1.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Shriners Hospitals for Children-Spokane (2.1 miles)
• Seattle Childrens Hospital (2.1 miles)
• Deaconess Medical Center (2.1 miles)
• VA Medical Center (2.4 miles)
• Spokane Va Medical Center (2.4 miles)
• Sacred Heart Medical Center Helistop Heliport (2.7 miles)
• St Luke's Rehabilitation Institute (2.8 miles)