Permitting (Senior Living)

 

Permitting a senior living community is like most development projects, but there are some nuances you want to pay attention to.

 

If your community has licensed assisted living and/or memory care connected to unlicensed independent living, ensure you get a separate permit for the independent living.  Depending on what state or city you are building in, getting a certificate of occupancy on your licensed assisted living or memory care may take some time after construction completion because those products have a more stringent construction, inspection and occupancy standards.  Independent living is just like a normal apartment, so it is not subject to all of the higher standards of your licensed product.  All of this means that you can probably start occupying your independent living building ahead of your assisted living or memory care buildings.  However, that independent building needs to be permitted separate from the assisted living and memory care in order to get a separate certificate of occupancy early.  The sooner your residents can start occupying independent living, the sooner you can start bringing in some rent revenue. 

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