A new law will allow California to expand the availability of assisted living options.
AB 2694 expands the state’s Density Bonus Law to include the development of residential care facilities for the elderly, which includes assisted living. Such laws require a city or county to provide a bonus or other incentives or concessions to developers who agree to build senior housing developments.
LeadingAge California, which sponsored the bill, said that it will ensure the consistent application of such laws to the development of those settings.
“Over the past five years, California has lost 5,000 nursing home beds, underscoring a shift in consumer preferences toward more community-centered, home-like environments, such as assisted living,” Meghan Rose, LeadingAge California general counsel and chief government affairs officer, said in a statement. “AB 2694 is a pivotal solution, ensuring Californians can access supportive care they need, in settings that honor their independence and freedom to age in the setting of their choice.”
LeadingAge Califirnia said that the density bonus is an important tool that encourages the development of affordable and senior housing. According to the association, the bill helps California take a “significant step” toward expanding the availability of assisted living options, addressing the diverse and evolving needs of its rapidly growing older adult population.
The California Assisted Living Association also supported the bill. CALA President and CEO Sally Michael told McKnight’s Senior Living that the law will promote development of senior living communities and help to meet growing demand.
According to a legislative analysis of the bill, the state’s Density Bonus Law originally was enacted in 1979 as an incentive to encourage housing developers to produce affordable housing units at below-market rates. In return for including a certain percentage of affordable housing units in their projects, developers could add additional units above a local jurisdiction’s allowable zone density for the site.
The affordability requirements for units built via the density bonus are applicable for at least 55 years. The original law also provided concessions and incentives related to development standards — architectural, height and setback requirements — and reductions in vehicle parking requirements to offset the cost of building the affordable units.
The newly adopted bill makes clear that assisted living communities qualify under the Density Bonus Law and specifically include them in the definition of shared housing.
“Our state is facing a ‘silver tsunami’ as our population ages, creating a demand for senior housing that outpaces supply,” said State Assemblyman Christopher Ward (D-San Diego) said, the bill’s author. “[Residential care facilities for the elderly] offer a solution for seniors who need assistance with daily activities but wish to live in a less clinical setting.”
Source: McKnights Seniorliving