U.S. retiree, Ted Rose (right) is the founder of Project Amigo,
a volunteer led organization of American retirees
promoting the educational enrichment of children and youth
in Colima. Project Amigo is an International Community
Foundation grantee.

With a growing number of Americans now retiring in Mexico, there is a need to better respond to the growing needs of this fast - growing expatriate population. Through its “Retiring Responsibly in Mexico” initiative, the International Community Foundation seeks to inform, educate, and engage would-be retirees, targeted buyers, real estate developers, nonprofit organizations and policymakers at the local, state and federal levels of governmental in both the United States and Mexico about issues related to environmental sustainability, financial and environmental transparency, and responsibilities for stewardship related to coastal tourism/ residential developments with an emphasis on the 50+ population from the United States seeking to retire in Mexico.

The Foundation's "Retiring Responsibly in Mexico" Initiative has three key objectives:

1. Undertake timely and relevant research on the demographic patterns of U.S. retirees in Mexican coastal communities to better understand the impacts of current north to south migration trends as they relate to emerging issues of economic security, health care and public safety.
2. Understand the impacts of recent coastal development in Mexico fueled by the influx of U.S. retirees, assessing the impacts on surrounding ecosystems, documenting trends in sustainable retirement communities, and recognizing the legal/financial risk for homebuyers.
3. Assess the level of social capital among U.S. retirees residing in Mexico with a focus on volunteerism, charitable giving, and civic engagement in their adopted communities.

"U.S. Retirement in Mexico" Research Series:

• U.S. Retirement Trends in Mexican Coastal Communities:
  Lifestyle Trends and Demographics
• Health Care and Americans Retiring in Mexico
• Housing & Real Estate Trends Among U.S. Retirees in Mexican Coastal Communities
• Civic Engagement, Volunteerism and Charitable Giving: Americans Retiring in Mexico’s Coastal Communities
• Environmental Consumer Preferences Among U.S. Retirees in Mexican Coastal Communities - Publication Date: July 2010

For more about the publications from this initiative, please click here: