The Villages in Florida has two owners, not one. The Morse family privately owns the developer side of the community through The Holding Company of The Villages, Inc., which controls the town squares, commercial buildings, championship golf courses, and local media outlets.1Florida Division of Corporations. Search Records – Holding Company of The Villages Inc The roads, utilities, recreation centers, and executive golf courses belong to more than 25 Community Development Districts, which are independent government entities funded by residents.2The Villages Community Development Districts. Welcome to The Villages Community Development Districts Individual homeowners own their houses and the land beneath them, and nothing else. The community spans roughly 57 square miles across Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties.3The Villages. Frequently Asked Questions
The Morse Family on the Developer Side
Control of the developer belongs to the three children of the late H. Gary Morse, who ran the company from 1983 until his death in 2014: Mark Morse, who serves as president and CEO, Jennifer Parr, and Tracy Mathews.4Wikipedia. H. Gary Morse Residents and local officials usually call them simply “the Developer.”
They operate through The Holding Company of The Villages, Inc., a privately held Florida corporation.1Florida Division of Corporations. Search Records – Holding Company of The Villages Inc Because it is private, the company files no public financial disclosures and answers to no outside shareholders. The family keeps full control over branding, architectural standards, expansion, and the pace of new construction.
What the Developer Owns
The Morse family’s ownership reaches well beyond building and selling homes. Several categories of property stay under developer control permanently, even after a neighborhood is built out and sold.
- The town squares that function as the community’s social hubs, including Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing, and Brownwood Paddock Square. The buildings and underlying land are private property. Most businesses operating in the squares lease their space from a family-controlled entity.
- The full-sized championship golf courses and the golf academy, which are operated separately from the resident-funded executive courses.5The Villages Community Development Districts. Golf in The Villages
- The main local media, run through The Villages Operating Company: The Villages Daily Sun newspaper, AM-640 Radio, Villages News Network TV, and The Villages Magazine.
The developer also sets operating hours and event schedules in the town squares, decides which tenants can lease commercial space, and controls the aesthetic standards of the entertainment districts. In practical terms, the entity that sold you the house also controls where you shop, eat, and read the local news.
What the Community Development Districts Own
The infrastructure under The Villages is not Morse family property. Roads, water and sewer systems, stormwater management, and recreation centers belong to a network of more than 25 Community Development Districts, created under Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 190 – Community Development Districts Each CDD is a separate governmental body with its own board, budget, and taxing authority.
Two districts carry much of the weight. The Village Center Community Development District handles water and sewer utilities, recreation facilities, security, fire protection, and paramedic services for much of the community.7Sumter County Clerk of Courts. Village Center Community Development District Basic Financial Statements The Sumter Landing Community Development District provides recreation and security services south of County Road 466, operating fitness centers at Colony Cottage, Laurel Manor, and SeaBreeze Recreation Centers.8Sumter County Clerk of Courts. Sumter Landing Community Development District Basic Financial Statements
The executive golf courses, more than 40 shorter courses spread across the community, are also CDD-owned. They are funded through resident amenity fees and offer free greens fees to all residents.5The Villages Community Development Districts. Golf in The Villages
Early in a district’s life, the developer effectively picks the CDD board, because votes are cast by landowners weighted by acreage. On a statutory timeline, seats shift to resident-elected supervisors.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 190 – Community Development Districts That is why newer neighborhoods remain developer-controlled while older ones have fully elected boards. Regardless of who holds the seats, all CDDs must comply with Florida’s public meetings and financial audit requirements.
What You Own When You Buy a Home
A homeowner in The Villages owns the house and the land under it as a standard fee-simple purchase. The boundaries of that ownership are narrower than in a typical suburb. You hold no stake in the town squares, the commercial buildings, the championship courses, or the media outlets. The recreational amenities you use every day belong to the CDDs, and your access to them depends on paying the monthly amenity fee.
Your property is also subject to a Declaration of Restrictions specific to your district. The declaration governs exterior paint colors, landscaping standards, and home modifications. It is recorded in the deed and runs with the land, so it binds every subsequent buyer. The developer drafts these restrictions; CDD boards enforce them after the transition to resident control, but the original terms come from the Morse family’s entities.
Costs Attached to Your Ownership
The split ownership structure creates two costs every buyer carries. CDDs build infrastructure by issuing tax-exempt municipal bonds, and homeowners repay those bonds through non-ad valorem assessments on their annual property tax bill.6The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes Chapter 190 – Community Development Districts The bond total attached to a home varies by neighborhood and lot size. Older neighborhoods may carry bonds around $15,000, while newer construction can run $25,000 to $30,000 or more. The balance is paid down over 20 to 30 years, so the annual line on the tax bill is a fraction of that figure.
On top of the bond assessment, residents pay a monthly amenity fee of $204, which funds the recreation centers, executive courses, swimming pools, and fitness facilities.9The Villages. Affordable Living Neither cost is optional, and both should sit in any purchase budget alongside the mortgage and property taxes.
Who Represents Residents Against the Developer
Two resident organizations use similar names and operate very differently. The Property Owners’ Association, established in 1975, is independent of the developer and open to all property owners and residents. The POA describes itself as a champion for residents’ rights and has pushed for transparency in district governance, pressured the developer to replace improperly installed siding on 1,600 homes, and led opposition to a 25 percent property tax increase.10Property Owners Association of The Villages. The POA It holds open meetings on the third Tuesday of each month and publishes a monthly bulletin.
The Villages Homeowners Association (VHA) is aligned with the developer and communicates primarily through developer-controlled media. Its meetings are restricted to members. If you are evaluating resident advocacy in The Villages, the distinction between the two groups is worth keeping straight.