My parents had retired about 10 years ago to Sun City (out Murietta way) and that place has boomed during that time. Housing developments are everywhere where once was open pasture. My folks have been trying to get me to move out that way (I live in Long Beach/Orange county) and have a large, new, affordable house, but I’ve always balked. I can’t stand the climate and there didn’t seem to be any industry out there. I suspeceted that most people commute to LA and SD and it made me wary.
On the subject of industry in the inland empire, I read in the LA Times about a year ago that Murietta/Temecula was going to be the new Orange County. The logic was that OC started off as a bedroom community to Los Angeles. Industry moved to OC once the population was in place to support it. Hence the article proposed that the same thing would happen with Riverside once the land was developed with housing — industry would follow.
This could happen, but I suspect more that the housing boom in Riverside is more of an overflow of those who can’t afford a house near the coast and are willing to brave an arduous commute. Once the LA and SD markets slow, Riverside will take a big hit. I have no data — just thinking.
