• 60 Seconds with Swett: The Republican Budget and Medicaid Cuts

    There will be significant political interest in what happens to Medicaid funding as Republicans work to pass a budget and tax bill with their very slim majority. Touching entitlements remains politically risky, and the party is divided on whether any Medicaid cuts would be acceptable heading into an election cycle. At this stage, per-capita caps... Read More »
  • Sonida Senior Living Continues Upward Trend

    We are at the end of the first quarter 2025 earning roll call, and Sonida Senior Living posted another solid quarter. Weighted average occupancy for its same-community portfolio (56 communities) increased by 100 basis points year over year to 86.8%, which is at the top end of many of its competitors. In addition, same-community RevPOR increased... Read More »
  • Regional Owner/Operator Purchases Turnaround SNF

    Evans Senior Investments was engaged by a regional owner in a partnership with the University of Michigan Health-West Hospital to facilitate the sale of a skilled nursing facility in Wyoming, Michigan. Opened nearly 10 years ago, Healthbridge Post Acute comprises 65 beds and was experiencing operational challenges, including an annual net... Read More »
  • Family Owner Divests CCRC to Not-For-Profit

    Senwell Senior Investment Advisors sold a family-owned/operated CCRC in Maumee, Ohio, to a not-for-profit organization. The community had been in the seller’s family for 75 years, but they are divesting to enter retirement. Established in 1949, Elizabeth Scott Community spans 51 acres and offers independent living, assisted living, memory care... Read More »
  • HUD-Backed Seniors Housing Community Opens on Long Island

    A HUD-financed seniors housing project has celebrated its grand opening in Bay Shore, New York. Netherbay at Bay Shore is a state-of-the-art assisted living/memory care community located at the historic Gulden family’s summer homestead on Long Island. It features 72 units and is operated by Meridian Senior Living. Greystone’s Lisa Fischman had... Read More »
Canyon Partners Provides Preferred Equity for California Development

Canyon Partners Provides Preferred Equity for California Development

Canyon Partners Real Estate LLC, the real estate direct investing arm of global alternative asset manager Canyon Partners, just made its third equity investment in a seniors housing development, partnering with operator Griffin Living in each project. The latest development is located near Westlake Village, California, and will feature 86 units, 58 for assisted living and 28 for memory care. There are two medical centers nearby, along with retail centers, entertainment and other amenities. To finance its construction, Canyon Partners provided $10.9 million of preferred equity. The two other senior living projects developed in collaboration between Canyon Partners and Griffin Living are... Read More »
Ziegler Finances SNF Expansion for Large Florida CCRC

Ziegler Finances SNF Expansion for Large Florida CCRC

A massive senior living community in Fort Myers, Florida, has plans to replace its skilled nursing facility, and just received bond financing to do it. Ziegler arranged the placement of the $81.16 million in bonds for the Obligated Group, which consists of two Florida not-for-profit organizations: The Christian and Missionary Alliance Foundation, Inc. (d/b/a Shell Point) and The Alliance Community for Retirement Living, Inc. Shell Point operates the Fort Myers campus, which includes 1,292 independent living units, 410 assisted living units and 219 skilled nursing beds spread across two locations that total 225 acres. The campus has come a long way from the original 48 IL units built in... Read More »
Where Is the Seniors Housing Rebound?

Where Is the Seniors Housing Rebound?

Seniors housing occupancy rates still remain low despite an apparent slowdown in new development. Whether you look at the total market, or simply the stabilized properties, second quarter occupancy took a small dip, according to recent numbers from NIC. Truth be told, I was hoping for a slight increase after a relatively modest flu season, even though it did seem to linger. But NIC’s numbers are at the midpoint of the quarter, so things could be more positive by now.  It is still assisted living that is experiencing the continuing problems, dropping 20 basis points sequentially to 87.7% for stabilized communities, but 85.1% when the rest are included. One could look on the bright side and... Read More »
Brookdale Activists Strike Again

Brookdale Activists Strike Again

We disclosed last week that activist investor Land & Buildings (L&B) had nominated Jay Flaherty, former CEO of HCP, Inc., and Jonathan Litt (founder of L&B) for board election at the 2019 annual meeting of Brookdale Senior Living. L&B has just sent an open letter to Brookdale shareholders providing more rationale for the election of these two candidates. Apparently, L&B hired Green Street Advisors to value Brookdale and its real estate assets, and to provide an opinion as to the feasibility of a PropCo/OpCo split of the company, something Litt has been pushing for quite a while now to enhance shareholder value. Not surprisingly, preliminarily they determined that... Read More »
Another Lender Enters Senior Living Development Space

Another Lender Enters Senior Living Development Space

Senior living development is certainly not starved for capital, as another lender has entered the senior living development space. Commercial Real Estate Finance is currently involved in the retail, multifamily, single-family and hospitality markets, but it recently added a senior living division. Its services were retained by WRC Development Partners LLC to procure a $26 million construction loan for the development of an assisted living/memory care community in Columbus, Ohio. The property will feature 115 units and 130 beds. Commercial Real Estate Finance also arranged $34 million in development financing for a 132-unit senior living community being built by WRC in New Windsor, New... Read More »
HHC Finance Sizzles Again This Summer

HHC Finance Sizzles Again This Summer

Housing & Healthcare Finance (HHC Finance) has had a busy summer, closing three HUD refinances totaling $56 million, so far. All three loans were arranged for skilled nursing clients and featured interest rates substantially below 4%. Based on the rumblings (public or otherwise) from the Federal Reserve, it appears borrowers will have at least a couple more years of low-rate HUD debt as a financing option. Let the lenders rejoice! The facilities being refinanced are located in Pennsylvania (181 beds), Massachusetts (55 beds) and New Jersey (313 beds) and are all over 35 years old. Read More »
NorthMarq Finances Affordale Seniors Housing

NorthMarq Finances Affordale Seniors Housing

An affordable senior apartment community in Oxnard, California just refinanced with the help of Marty Meagher and Gardiner Champlin of NorthMarq’s San Diego office. Consisting of 101 units, the community received a $7.6 million loan from Fannie Mae, with a 10-year, interest-only term and a fixed interest rate. The financing paid off existing bond debt that was credit-enhanced by Fannie Mae. Management Innovations, Inc. operates the community, which features private patios or decks on most units, a recreation meeting room with fireside seeting, and a food service area. Read More »
Missouri Operator Goes for Scale in SLIB Sale

Missouri Operator Goes for Scale in SLIB Sale

A large Missouri-based skilled nursing operator just increased its scale in the region with the purchase of a 136-bed skilled nursing/assisted living facility in Pacific, Missouri. Jeff Binder and Patrick Byrne of Senior Living Investment Brokerage facilitated the transaction, generating eight offers for the facility. Originally built in 1986, the SNF portion features 120 beds and is in good condition, considering its age. A 16-unit assisted living wing was added in 2005. Operations could be improved across the board, with occupancy sitting at 80% and the operating margin just above 6% on nearly $6.6 million of revenues. Those financials do not reflect a sizeable Medicaid rate increase... Read More »
Amenity-Rich Independent Living Opening in Virginia

Amenity-Rich Independent Living Opening in Virginia

A brand-new independent living community is set to open this month in the Richmond, Virginia market to the tune of $31.6 million, or $213,500 per unit, to build. Featuring 10 different floor plans and one- or two-bedroom unit options, the Henrico community is located adjacent to a gated active adult community, where its resident will have access to the amenities. However, it also has its own numerous amenities, including an indoor pool, movie theater, four dining venues and a gazebo complete with fire pits and a full-service bar, to name just a few. Arlington, Virginia-based Bonaventure Realty Group developed the luxury community, and Solvere Living, an affiliate of Solutions Advisors... Read More »
Strawberry Fields Grows in Des Plaines

Strawberry Fields Grows in Des Plaines

Strawberry Fields REIT continues to grow its skilled nursing holdings, and did so in a big way this month, by acquiring a large 231-bed SNF in Des Plaines, Illinois. That facility has had a somewhat checkered past. Originally built in 1975, it was acquired by a Catholic not-for-profit hospital and skilled nursing provider in May 2011 for $22 million, or $115,200 per operating bed, at a 9.5% cap rate. At the time, the facility was operating at an 11% margin and with just 191 of the 231 licensed beds (about 113 of which were occupied at the time), for an effective occupancy rate of 59%. Its location close to Chicago, quality mix above 50% and specialty care services like ventilator, dialysis... Read More »