Community used to be something you didn’t have to think about. It showed up in everyday moments like kids riding bikes until dinner, neighbors hanging out in driveways, and familiar faces at the same weekly gatherings. Above all, connection wasn’t scheduled or curated; it was simply part of life.
Over time, those natural points of connection began to fade. New technology, busier schedules, and general lifestyle shifts have quietly changed how people interact. And while independence has its benefits, many are now feeling the weight of what’s been lost along the way.
However, a growing number of neighborhoods and organizations across Reno are intentionally rebuilding what once came naturally by creating places where connection is part of daily life.
Loving Where You Live
Neighborhoods like ArrowCreek, Somersett, and Rancharrah are leading that return by designing environments that make it easier for people to know their neighbors, share routines, and feel a sense of belonging. Through shared amenities, walkable gathering spaces, and built-in social opportunities, these communities are reintroducing something familiar and needed.
Jenna Neugebauer has lived in ArrowCreek since 2007. Initially drawn to the area for its location, pools, and gated layout that allowed her children to play freely, she quickly found that the real value extended beyond features and benefits.
Her weeks are filled with shared routines like a standing Tuesday golf game with the same group of women, Pilates and yoga classes at the club, regular walks along the ArrowCreek loop, as well as summer evenings filled with bocce ball, live music, and concerts on the green. “It’s incredibly easy to meet people here,” she says, whether at the dog park, residents’ pool, or club patio. “You run into neighbors constantly.”
That ease into connection brings a sense of calm. “I feel centered once I get behind our gates,” Neugebauer says. “Reno has really grown, and it’s peaceful up here.”
For Marilyn Wright, community has meant something even deeper. A psychologist and longtime Reno resident, Wright describes the network of relationships she’s built in neighborhoods like Montreux as a “family village.”
“My husband passed away suddenly three years ago,” she shares. “My friends and neighbors were so compassionate and thoughtful through those initial dark days and weeks. It meant the world to me — and still does.”
For Wright, community isn’t just social but foundational. “It reflects the quality of individuals I have around me now,” she says. “We have each other’s backs through the good and fun days… and the hard ones. What a blessing that is.”
She points to multiple layers of connection: her neighborhood, her church community, her clinical practice, and the shared appreciation for Reno’s outdoor beauty. Together, they create what she calls the “meaningful secret sauce” that makes life here feel supported and whole.
For many others, that sense of support is especially impactful during major life transitions. John Compisi and his wife relocated to Somersett from Northern Sonoma County, where they had lived on a secluded 37-acre property. And while they loved wine country, building a social life there required planning, long drives, and effort.
But in Somersett, connection came quickly. “Our social life here is definitely more active,” Compisi says. “We can be busy three or four nights a week with dinners, concerts, or community events.”
Shortly after moving in, Compisi helped start a resident-run wine club, now called the High Sierra Wine Society, which quickly grew to 65 members. “That really anchored us into the greater Somersett community,” he says.
His weeks now include men’s social gatherings, volunteer-run happy hours at the Town Center, skiing with neighbors in winter, boating on Lake Tahoe in summer, and wine tastings hosted in each other’s homes. “Living in a higher-density environment has made us feel much more connected,” he says. “We see our neighbors often, and those relationships naturally deepen.”
At Rancharrah, resident Kristin Zuckerman says community has become part of her daily rhythm. After relocating to Reno in 2022, she found connection quickly through fitness classes, pickleball games, casual gatherings, and signature social events like Toasty Thursdays.
“If you wander into the club for a drink or a quick bite, it’s not uncommon to find your table full,” she says. “You end up staying much longer than planned.”
Special events from wine dinners and tequila tastings to yoga, accompanied by live cello music, add shared experiences that foster real friendships. “Our kids are grown,” Zuckerman says, “so moving somewhere where it was easy to make friends made the transition to Reno much easier.”
From her experience working with relocation clients, she’s seen this same desire again and again. Buyers aren’t just looking for homes. They’re looking for belonging.
Finding 'Home' Elsewhere
But community in Reno isn’t limited to where you live or what you can afford. Membership-based organizations continue to provide some of the most accessible and meaningful opportunities for connection.
The Reno Elks Lodge is one such example. Sean Brennan, a former Exalted Ruler, initially joined for his son and the desire to belong to a fraternal organization. And what he found was lifelong connection.
“Officially, it’s the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks,” Brennan says. “Unofficially, it’s the Best People on Earth.”
Through themed charity dinners, social events, and volunteer efforts that have given millions back to the local community, the Elks offer purpose and camaraderie at a cost accessible to many households. “I’ve made friends I’ll have for the rest of my life,” Brennan says. “Being part of something that gives back makes you feel like you’re making a difference.”
Other organizations like Rotary Clubs, service leagues, churches, and community centers also offer similar experiences that don’t require a gated address, just shared commitment.
We’re seeing a broader shift across Reno, as people seek places where connection is part of daily life. Whether through neighborhood walking loops, resident-run wine clubs, volunteer-led happy hours, or longstanding community organizations, the common thread is intentional togetherness.
And in a world that often feels like people have to navigate life alone, Reno’s neighborhoods are quietly reminding us that we were never really meant to.