You know, you probably have already found it by now, but here is a direct link to Inge's tutorial on how to set up an orphanage:

http://www.drealm.info/simlogical/sl/Sims2Pages/Sims2_School.htm

It's the second link in blue

Well, I tried your first tip and deleted the community items and it still didn't work. I used to be able to switch lot zones all the time ~ no prob. Weird. As for the download tip ~ thanks, I'll bookmark that. My computer is, unfortunately, too crippled to download anything right now, but that will be one of the first things I will download once I am able. I'm always switching a lot's zone type.

Wow, I thought it was. Good to know.

Also, HappyThoughts ~ check into Mod the Sims 2 http://nene.modthesims.info/download.php?t=250640 for getting more than 8 Sims living on the same lot. I know there's one at More Awesome Than You, but I'm afraid I can't find it.

Hey, thanks for the tip. I have all EP's up to Pets. But I will try this. Hopefully, it will work and I'll get back to ya'.

Yeah, yeah... I guess I could have just done that, lol. Thanks, raven.

This may be the completely long way around this, but you can do this until someone creates an actual mod for you.

You can just grab people and children from the "Townie" or "Downtownie" pool (Summoner tool). You can change their age to "Child" (Aging tool) ~ this way you won't have to deal with any family connection between the children and adults on the lot (hence, summoning them). If you want them to stay at the orphanage during school hours, you can have them home-schooled and add a cafeteria so they don't leave. You can even go dorm-style if that's the easiest. As far as other families adopting, you can summon the child to their house and then add them to the household (Family Tree tool). You can manipulate budget systems using a budget tool or a checkbook to "buy" a child or add or subtract funds to the orphanage. Other options are to add an office and a cash register to your orphanage just for props if you'd like.

Where to find:

Summoner, Aging, Budget, Family Tree tools ~ Insimenator & SimBlender (SimBlender should have these, too)
Checkbook ~ Paladins Place. Click on the green link for Sims 2 Objects. The checkbook will be under the "Other Objects" category.
Home / Private School: Check over at SimLogical (http://dino.drealm.info/den/denforum/index.php). This will give you the ability to school the kids at the orphanage and to set up institutional items (buffet for cafeteria's, access doors, etc).
You may have to register ~ but it's free and Inge's downloads are worth the signing up!
If you'd like you can also download the Prison Collection at SimLogical as well. It will give you all sorts of cool hacks, such as assembly points and tokens that can help track the kids at the orphanage. If you couldn't get to them through the link I gave you: Register / sign in, then go to the Sims 2 Downloads forums ~ in there you will find a link to get to the downloads.

You may just be able to download all the tools you need over at Inge's site, I believe, and get the same results ~ if you didn't want to download the Insimenator or the SimBlender.

Like I said before, this is the looooong way and probably more complicated way of doing things... but if you're like me and can be impatient for the wait of a mod being made ~ this is an option to start up one and work with it until a better way of doing things is invented. Further ~ you may be able to come up with other creative ways until that time, too.

Good luck!

I had a police station on a community lot for awhile now. I just recently placed this lot in a new neighborhood and tried to reset the zone. I went in and typed in "changelotzoning residential", saved, and then exited to the neighborhood. It switched over like it should, but then when I added a family, I got a weird result. No family was to be found and the "Sim" option button found in the menu was gray ~ just like it is in the community when you enter them. I ended up just moving them out and creating a whole new lot. This has happened a couple of times I've tried this.

I entered the right command. Is it, possibly, that when you have a lot as a community for a very long time, it gets stuck that way? It shouldn't be that, but just thought I'd ask. Any suggestions on why this happened?

What expansion pack includes Satyrs?

Sims 3!? Are you serious? Too bad. Oh, well.

I have a few deco cars I use to fill up some of my car-freak Sims' back yards. I am also hoping to find a way to run a car restoration shop for classic (80's) cars. That would be cool.

Well, here's luck to you on your hunt. If you find more, let me know, too, please.

You probably already have these guys (noted that you went here already), but I thought I'd send you this link, just in case you happened to miss one of them. I looked everywhere. These aren't easy to come by and I am with you ~ I could really use these junker cars, as well. Maybe we should request more.

http://nene.modthesims.info/browse.php?tag=damaged&go=Go&gs=1&f=432&gs=1

http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=405987

I am so glad I never invested in the Sims 3. And after reading all your posts, I feel I made the right choice.

Dangit. It's like enemy lines, lol. Just kidding, guys.

Thanks, Paden, for the head's up.

It kind of frustrates me that while building my Crimeville 'hood, I cannot find any adult street gang careers ~ only street gang careers for teens!

I know there's a Drug Dealer career out there ~ that's not what I'm asking for, by the way (although I do have that one bookmarked).

If someone could help me out and create an adult gang career, that would be greatly appreciated. You could start them out as a bagman and work them through the ranks (whatever they may be like soldier, initiator, overseer, 2nd in command etc.) to becoming the head honcho. I'm not real picky about ranks, or the names of them (in fact, in my example, I have a few redundant names for ranks ~ hence, that was why it was just an example). I leave that to the creator, unless someone would like me to specify. But I am flexible and would kind of like the surprise.

I hope someone can help me. If someone has heard of an adult version of this career, however, please let me know where to find it. And of course, if it's on an adult site, PM me with the link.

Thanks.

I've actually been creating storylines via photo albums.

I used to be a film maker and why I haven't made Sim movies is beyond me. I like story propping too much and I'm pretty anal about having things just right in the frame, so maybe that's why.

My poor Sims have no free will. They do whatever I tell them to do, whenever (the motives adjuster is great for control freaks like me).

Theraven: can you let me know where you post these items for download, if you do? My labs and hospitals can always handle more medical items!