Your first reaction might be “This is not me . . . “ but don’t be too sure.
Raya’s Paradise is a West Hollywood based assisted living company (they describe themselves as a board & care company). They operate half a dozen or so small board and care homes (The largest licensed for 11 residents). They are successful with this model and are slowly expanding.
They recently purchased a parcel of land just off trendy Melrose Avenue in Hollywood with duplex zoning. Their goal was to build a single building licensed for 11 dementia residents. Their thinking was that because state and local regulations would allow two 6 bed facilities side by side building a single 11 resident building would be easier on the neighborhood and create a more efficient staffing model.
They also felt it would reduce the impact on parking. Public notice was provided to the neighbors and they went nuts. They are concerned about more parking headaches (already a problem in the area), more ambulances and more traffic.
They pointed out that within their immediate proximity there are already 24 licensed senior care facilities with 3 more pending applications. Perhaps most importantly they worry that another “care home” will hurt their property values.
Here are a couple of quotes from the neighbors:
“I have nothing against people in rehab. I have nothing against older people,” said a 20-year resident. “It’s still a business…. If I wanted to live downtown, I’d live downtown.”
“Our community already has numerous senior homes, which is fine. But it sounded like this operator wanted to create a Godzilla-like complex on a quiet residential block – without providing any parking for the business’s employees, and without working with neighbors to mitigate any problems that could arise. That, we don’t need.”
As of the writing of this article, the developers have appealed the decision to the Los Angeles City Council and filed a complaint against the city of Los Angeles, with California State Department of Fair Employment and Housing claiming discrimination by the City.
More Headaches for Senior Housing?
As a business development officer for Vigil Health Solutions, where we sell the best emergency call systems in the marketplace, I carefully watch a number of sources for the development of new senior housing communities. I have noticed over the past several months, senior housing communities seem to be facing more resistance from local communities.
Neighbors are concerned about traffic, parking and ambulance noise. While cities like the new jobs and senior housing still has kind of a “feel good aurora” it does not do much to contribute to the sales tax base and can put additional pressure and the “emergency medical services” system.
Many years ago I was charge of the development of an assisted living community and there were a handful of neighbors were unhappy with the project. As part of the application process we made note that many of employees would ride the bus to work with a stop being located right across the street. One of the neighbors responding by saying they did not really want the kind of people who would ride a bus to work, in their neighborhood.
Today, it is unlikely that anyone would say something like that out loud, but I can’t help thinking this is an underlying reason for resistance.
Collaboration
I am more and more convinced that national, regional and local developers and operators need to spend as much time in collaboration as they do in competition. This a perfect example of where working together to create a compelling story that highlights the benefits of senior housing to the local neighborhood would benefit everyone.
Sources for this article: LACurbed
Senior Living Facility on Sierra Bonita Still Breathing
LA Times
Near Melrose, a national healthcare predicament plays out
Editorial: Old folks have to live somewhere
Melrose Village Blog
Mega-Senior Living Facility Turned Down
Proposed Facility on Sierra Bonita Draws Controversy
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From LinkedIn Groups
David Searles • In recent weeks two different local governments denied rezoning applications submitted by the BJS Foundation. In each case BJS Foundation proposed multiple phased senior living communities starting with 84 unit phase 1. Part of the concern was that these do not generate as much tax revenue (one of the two sites is zoned for office condos).
From LinkedIn Groups
I can’t think of more ideal neighbors to have. In my own neighborhood there are several 6-bed residential care homes. They are well-maintained, attractive homes, no parking problems, never any loud parties. Even the larger assisted living communities have few disruptions and rarely have parking problems as most of the residents don’t drive and are well- supervised. I have neighbors who are strongly against the idea of senior housing in the area, because they think of problems associated with the alcohol and drug rehab group homes. They don’t even realize there are senior homes right on their street because they are so quiet.
Posted by Linda Armas, CSA
From LinkedIn Groups
Group: Senior Housing Forum
Discussion: I find myself wondering how often senior housing communities find themselves in conflict with their neighbors. What is your experience?
Hi Steve, thanks for the invite.
In my case, they’ve gotten over it, but I’d say it’s fairly common, depending on the area you’re located in. As an example, a neighbor across the street from Angel House, my small 6-bed ALF group home in Pembroke Pines, FL, has been at times a royal pain. Certain people seem bent on sticking their noses in others’ business, when they perceive something to envy or be opposed to.
This wouldn’t happen much at all for a large ALF in a commercial location. There, traffic is a good thing, other businesses depend on it as well. This conflict occurs much more where there is the ‘condo commando’ mentality, as with my neighbor, who appears to have little to fill his time with.
We had gotten all requisite permits, and had begun construction on our ALF when he first began to butt in and complain. There were trucks there one day for the sprinklers, alarm and I think a tile guy or painter, and someone parked across the street on the swale outside his fence. Well, he raised hell…
This was no surprise to me, as when we lived at the home, before the conversion, my son had a garage band. We insulated a part of the garage, building a relatively soundproof box of panels from a walk-in freezer, with foam rubber glued to the inside of it. The boys played in there, and Mr AH (I leave that to your imagination) walked his dog by the front yard, standing in my driveway, perhaps pressing his ear to the wall, and rushing home to make many calls. The cops came every time, and they began to recognize songs, and to comment on the band’s improvement. Each time they had to assure him that the official decibel levels were not exceeded; I let them practice for a couple of hours after school, but in no case after 7 pm. The city’s noise ordinance kicks in at 8 or 9.
After we were open over a year, I got a young artist to paint a mural of elderly angels, man and woman, carrying fruit & flowers, over the garage door on the gable end facing the street. This was in lieu of a sign, which I had a permit for. Thus, visitors would know they were at Angel House, without the tacky lettering – not as productive for business, but elegant for a homestyle senior residence, or so I thought.
We began the project on a Saturday, and Sunday turned up rainy, so there was a sketch of the figures and the background of blue skies, with a few white cloud whisps taking shape around them, and a promise to return Monday or Tuesday to finish the projectin another day and a half or so.
I knew my neighbor, so I warned my chief caregiver that Code Enforcement would come, and asked her to call me, and said it would probably be Thomas George, whom I’d had interaction with previously when complaints were lodged about weeds among the grass in the front yard, trees being trimmed &/or the mowing schedule falling behind. (yeah really)
I got the call on Monday after midday, and Sharmila sounded in awe of my clairvoyance when she put Mr. George on the phone with me. “Ms Campbell, how nice to see the home, I love what you’ve done here, and the people seem so happy. I’m sorry I didn’t come in time for lunch, by the way things smell!” I assured him we loved our residents and asked if the guy across the street had complained about the angel mural. He reminded me complaints were anonymous unless they were founded and there was a need for testimony, etc, but then said, “but what Is his problem anyway?”
I asked him to try a new approach, taking my sign permit to show the complainant, and apologizing for me. Puzzled, he said, “go on?” I explained that I was permitted to paint a sign if I liked, with phone number, website and services listed thereon. “But you’re not going to Do that, are you? The angels are rather nice.” I replied, “I think if we offer to paint the sign and comply with the letter of the law, he will back down.” And he did, “Oh, no I Love the angels, you mean she can Do that sign thing?!” He called me back laughing.
Posted by Doreen Campbell
From LinkedIn Groups
Dear Steve: Frankly, I am currently unemployed. However, when I last worked we were advantageously located next to a fire station. Therefore, we didn’t need to wait too long for paramedic or emergency care responses. Unfortunately for the city, some residents who suffered from a form of dementia (that I was not privileged to know) would call the police or fire department for help. As a result, they received several bogus calls a month. Lastly, our facility was not attached to any other building, although it was old and the sprinkler system did not protect all areas of both residents and employees. This was not against the local codes as we had regular fire drills conducted by the Fire Department. I think the situation was optimum because I live in an earthquake prone city and the elevators were old and unreliable.
Posted by Bill Adams
From LinkedIn Groups
Group: Memory Care Professionals
Discussion: I find myself wondering how often senior housing communities find themselves in conflict with their neighbors. What is your experience?
Several years ago in Woodbury, MN a developer proposed a memory care community with a behavioral component in a residental area. The neighbors were very vocal about their concerns of the project being in close proximity to a school and child care facility. A community meeting was held and during the meeting several residents made harsh comments regarding older adults who have dementia.
Great strides have been made to educate the greater public about issues that older adults face, as a society we have a long way to go.
Institutional care is a thing of the past and most older american’s want to stay in their home. Isn’t living next to a senior care community almost the same as living in a neighborhood where everyone is ‘aging in place’?
Posted by Janelle Meyers
From LinkedIn Groups
Group: Memory Care Professionals
Discussion: I find myself wondering how often senior housing communities find themselves in conflict with their neighbors. What is your experience?
I believe if neighbors have concerns regarding these communities they really just don’t get it! I wish they would understand all the benefits of having so many Grandparents as neighbors to socialize with.
Posted by Jen Rasmussen
From LinkedIn Groups
Group: Senior Housing Forum
Discussion: I find myself wondering how often senior housing communities find themselves in conflict with their neighbors. What is your experience?
With regard to the initial development or “set up” of a facility, the NIMBY (Not in my back yard)—as it is often referred to—problem is a relevant concern.
Truth is, for senior housing there is less stigma than “half-way” or “re-entry” or “troubled teens” homes. There is a whole body of law that is fascinating around the “discrimination” of such community reactions. Often, developers and operators will retain counsel if planning commissions unjustifiably block these facilities, and end up negotiating with the building authorities. We actually did that for one of our communities, appealing a Planning Commission “no” vote to have it overturned by the city counsel.
Ironically, today, the neighborhood and the city enjoys the fact that we are there. The successful argument is these seniors have lived in our community, and thus deserve to continue to live in the heart of our community and not be “banished” to the more commercial/industrial parts of town. The protection of this right is so ingrained in California, for example, that no city or county jurisdiction can prohibit a small 6-bed “community care” facility from being open, AS LONG AS IT IS WITHIN the building codes and regulations. The minute you ask the planning authority for a “variance”, then the operator opens themselves up for a “neighborhood” meeting, and potentially disapproval. Fascinating public policy stuff, thanks for raising the question Steve.
Posted by Mark Cimino
Very interesing article, thank you for sharing. I can see where many of the neighbors were coming from, but I can also see the benefit of building a structure like this. They need to take into account the feelings of those who are already in the area, however. I actually work with senior citizens every day, helping them cover the out of pocket gaps brought on by governemnt Medicare. It is an extremely rewarding position and I love the opportunity that I am given each and every day to help out the members of this generation.
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