During the buying boom, many military folks bought big homes sparing no expense on the luxuries:  stainless appliances, pool, spa, outdoor kitchens and more.  When the real estate bubble burst, the owners jumped into the landlord business. Check www.militarybyowner.com for available rentals.  You’re likely to score a bright, airy 3-bedroom home, with a pool, for around $1,500 a month.  Cha-Ching!

Lincoln Military Housing runs the 693 on-station homes (separated by rank and bedroom entitlement) and many are newly constructed, two-story stuccos with fenced in yards, garages and open floor plans.  Parks dot the neighborhoods and the close-knit on-base community boasts a Mayberry-like feel.  The base is small so it can be tough to escape the inevitable neighborhood busybodies but Yuma is a tight-knit community and when push comes to shove, Yumans and fellow Marines will always lend a hand.

Your child’s school will likely be a major factor in your housing choice.  Traffic in the winter can be hectic (some 60,000 retirees descend on Yuma each year) and some schools pack in 30+ students to a classroom.  Spend some time visiting schools and talking to other parents about the different schools, their flaws and features.

MCAS YUMA Housing Office
Building 1080, Martini Avenue
(928) 269-2826  (928) 269-2826
fax:(928) 269-3284
yuma.housing@usmc.mil

Comments from CinCHouse members

"Ed Sexton is a former Marine and the go-to real estate guru in Yuma.  Whether you plan on renting, buying or living on base, Ed Sexton is the man to see.  http://associates.era.com/edsexton" - Molly

"I live off base because the waiting list a one year long. Live anywhere not listed online. And where military isn't. Camelot base housing and off base apartments are the main places for military couples." -- Courtney

Yuma is divided into three main school districts:  Yuma Elementary District #1, Yuma Union High School District, and Crane School District.  The Crane School District currently has ten schools: six K-6 schools, one K-3 school, one 4-6 school, and two middle schools which serve a little over 6,000 students. There are 13 elementary schools and five junior high schools in District 1 with around 10,000 kindergarten through eighth grade students.  Various charter and private schools are also located in Yuma including a Lutheran, Catholic and Christian school.  

The base has a school liaison office and web site.   It provides school district boundaries, homeschooling and other education related information. 

Yuma Elementary School District 1
Crane School District
Yuma Union High School District

PRIVATE/CHARTER SCHOOLS

A number of private and charter schools are available for both elementary and high school age children. MCAS Yuma does not have a DoD school attached to the base but again, public and private schools are ample thanks to the county’s continuous building spree.   Additionally Yuma has many preschools scattered around the city and on base. 

Yuma is spread far and wide so geography is going to be a huge factor in school choice – preschools included. Residents of “the foothills’ which incorporates the Araby Road corridor, Fortuna Road and Foothills Blvd exit, should consider:

The Learning Pad http://www.gilamountain.org/LearningPad/
Desert Mesa Preschool www.desertmesa.yuma.org
Arizona Western College Child Development Learning Lab www.azwestern.edu
MCAS Yuma Youth Center  http://www.yuma.usmc-mccs.org/
Happy Trails  www.happytrailsyuma.com
Cornerstone Preschool  www.cornerstonepreschool.net

Residents of the Valley might consider the following preschools:

Hand in Hand  www.handinhandchristian.com
Young Minds   www.ympreschool.com
Yuma Preschool  (928) 344-0670
The Treehouse www.treehouseyuma.com
MCAS Yuma Youth Center  http://www.yuma.usmc-mccs.org/

The following are Charter and Private schools in Yuma.  Again, take some time to drive around Yuma checking out your neighborhood school and compare it to a private or charter school.  Tuition costs for the Catholic and Lutheran Elementary Schools run between $3,000 and $4,000 a year so plan in advance to save up.  The Catholic School does offer a discount for paying in full up front and a parishioner discount. 

Desert View Academy www.dvayuma.com
Yuma Lutheran School www.yumaluterhanschool.com
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School  www.greatschools.org  or www.stfrancisyuma.com
Yuma Catholic High School www.yumacatholic.org
AmeriSchools Charter School www.amerischools.org
Harvest Preparatory Academy (charter) www.harvestprep.com
Carpe Diem Charter School  www.cdayuma.com


ADULT EDUCATION

Arizona Western College and Northern Arizona University’s Yuma campus offer schooling options including Master’s, Bachelor’s and even PhD’s for traditional and non-traditional students.  The schools are both located off the Araby Road exit with various day and evening schedules available.    Students can take business, marketing, education, journalism, nursing and environmental classes among many others.
www.azwestern.edu and www.yuma.nau.edu

The University of Phoenix also offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs at their main campus in Yuma including a Bachelor’s of Science in Business/Accounting, Business/Administration, and Business/Marketing. At the graduate level, you'll find the Master of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration/Health Care Management, and Master of Science in Accountancy programs.
www.phoenix.edu

On base at the Lifelong Learning Center (BLDG 850), Marines and their family members can chat with a counselor about the different local options and get assistance with scholarships, grants and other financial services available for military folks. 
http://www.yuma.usmc-mccs.org

Give us the scoop on schools and resources

The Branch Medical Center on MCAS Yuma provides basic family practice medicine to service members, their families and retired Tricare Prime enrollees. Branch Medical does have a few specialties but plan on ‘going out in town’ for pediatricians and OB/GYN physicians. There is a Tricare office next to the clinic and the ladies there are very helpful. (928) 269-2700

Clinic hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments are required for service and can be scheduled by calling (928) 269-2700 or (928) 269-2700 weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For urgent care after hours and on weekends please call the clinic duty officer at pager (928) 376-2282 or (928) 376-2282.

Yuma Regional Medical Center is home to thousands of high-quality physicians.  Thanks to a healthy snowbird and retired military population, Yuma’s 333-bed facility and medical community are stellar. 

The base clinic does offer any emergency services and instead, military service members and their family members are encouraged to either proceed to the Yuma Regional Medical Center emergency room or a nearby emergency care/walk-in facility.   Again, Yuma’s medical services are tremendous for its size and location – with YRMC being a particularly well-staffed hospital.  For more serious issues, patients can be life-flighted to either Phoenix or San Diego depending on the injury type and severity.

Comments from CinCHouse Members

Recommended orthdontist: Dr Sowards - Courtney

When traders made their way into Yuma in the 1800’s, had they arrived in August they may have turned on their heels and headed back to a cooler locale.  But step foot in Yuma during the balmy fall, winter, and spring months, it’s easy to see why they stayed. 
 
Only in Yuma can you …

Eat Thanksgiving dinner the sand dunes with 160,000 friends
Decorate your cactus with Christmas lights
Toss mosquito repellant in the trash
Wear white pants year round
Brag about living in the Lettuce Capital of the World 
Try your luck at Cretin’s famous nacho eating contest

Rarely do temperatures dip below 50 degrees in Yuma where lettuce is king and the AV-8B Harrier roars overhead daily.  Nestled in the southwest corner of Arizona, with a population of around 195,000, Yuma is part dusty cowboy, part farmer and part wild, wild, west.

Once a dusty cow town, Yuma is now home to bistros, boutiques, and a booming housing market.  Located in the southwestern corner of Arizona, Yuma is known as the sunniest place in the United States and as expected, is also one of the hottest. But Yumans adapt to the dry temps quicker than you can say sunscreen. Before you know you you’ll say, “Oh, it’s only 100 out today!” 

Random Info from CinCHouse Members

"Fave beauty pots: Lotus, spritz, ventures two salon. Recommended vet: Foothills Vet clinic." - Courtney