Dolce Vita, the Apache Junction manufactured home community, earned 2016 Community of the Year honors for the Western region.

The 55-plus, gated community was one of four national winners recognized by the Manufactured Housing Institute National Industry Awards. Murex Properties, a Florida-based company that owns and manages premier manufactured housing communities throughout the United States, purchased the community in conjunction with Northwestern Mutual in 2014.

Dolce Vita

Dolce Vita has 362 households and will have a total of 720 sites. Overlooking Superstition Mountain, the community has a 33,000-square-foot, Mediterranean-style clubhouse with a ballroom, billiards room, movie theatre, workout facility, computer center and more. A 7-acre lifestyle area features a 3,000 square-foot resort-style, ocean-entry, heated swimming pool, two spas, lighted tennis and pickleball courts, shuffleboard, bocce ball, horseshoes and a putting green.

Murex Properties’ goal is to provide residents with five-star amenities at a good value. Last summer, Where to Retire magazine included Dolce Vita on its short list of the country’s 50 best master-planned communities.

The Community of the Year entries were judged by an independent panel of professionals who considered community aesthetics, marketing materials, site plans, community and industry involvement, along with leases and covenants.

The Manufactured Housing Institute is the national trade organization representing all segments of the manufactured and modular housing industries, including manufacturers, retailers, community owners, suppliers, financial institutions, state associations and developers. The National Industry Awards are presented annually to recognize the best manufactured home communities, sales centers and industry leaders in the country during the National Congress and Expo for Manufactured and Modular Housing. The 2016 assembly was held recently in Las Vegas.