With an estimated American and Canadian population of 15,000 Mexico’s Lake Chapala area provides residents with lake-front homes at a fraction of the cost of similar homes in their native countries, but the recent increase in crime has residents worried the lower cost of living pay have come at the cost of safety.
The rising number of “For Sale” signs in the area has coincided with the swell of violent crimes, as many are fleeing the neighborhoods they once thought were perfect for social retirees.
In November, 26 bodies were found in three vehicles in Guadalajara, which is just a short drive from Lake Chapala, and in the last year, various violent crimes like home invasions have hit the retirement-type community itself.
Earlier this month, residents met with the municipality’s mayor as well as state officials of Jalisco to brain storm ideas about can be done to make the area safer.
Among the suggestions was to raise taxes, an idea that residents were more than willing to agree to. Some stated that they pay just $50 in taxes, and wouldn’t bat an eye if asked to double that if it meant a safer community.
While the violence in recent years has steadily increased, the cost of living in the Lake Chapala keeps many in their homes, as taxes are low, homes cost less, and medical care is far less than that in the U.S.
With a rise in taxes, perhaps a greater law enforcement detail can help protect the many retirees that have come to call Lake Chapala home.
