Assisted living communities have grown substantially in recent years but sudden increases in monthly rent are threatening seniors’ ability to remain part of their communities; Since ownership of assisted living facilities is increasingly held as part of complex financial structures, many elderly residents cannot even identify an actual person they can meet or a working telephone number to call to seek an accommodation

One recent report found that the Autumn Glen assisted living community in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, had informed their residents that rent for their housing units would increase by $300 to $500 per month—a 15 to 30 percent increase

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to encourage states to adopt or strengthen basic notice protections regarding sudden rent increases for seniors living in assisted living facilities so that these seniors can seek an accommodation that allows them to remain in their units. Assisted living communities have grown substantially in recent years but sudden increases in monthly rent have become an unwelcome fact of life for many residents, threatening their ability to remain part of their communities.  Since ownership of assisted living facilities is increasingly held as part of complex financial structures, many elderly residents cannot even identify an actual person they can meet or a working telephone number to call to seek an accommodation.

“This treatment of vulnerable seniors is unacceptable,” Klobuchar wrote. “Seniors in Minnesota and across the country deserve the dignity of their landlords providing clear information about a real person they can speak with when they face sudden and unreasonable rent increases in the assisted living communities that they call home.”

Throughout her time in the Senate, Klobuchar has been fighting to ensure that all Americans have safety, dignity, and good health in their senior years. The bipartisan Seniors Fraud Prevention Act, which Klobuchar introduced with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), passed the Senate Commerce Committee last year. The bill would help fight scams designed to strip seniors of their assets by educating seniors about fraud schemes and improving monitoring of and response to fraud complaints. In March of 2015, Klobuchar reintroduced the Americans Giving Care to Elders (AGE) Act to help reduce the financial burden on families by establishing a federal tax credit to assist with the costs of caring for an aging family member. She has also been a leader in curbing the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, improving and strengthening Medicare, and protecting American consumers by leading major bipartisan legislation, such as the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act, and the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act.

The full text of the letter can be found below:

Dear Assistant Secretary Robertson:

As you know, assisted living communities have grown substantially in recent years. These facilities are designed for American seniors whose health needs do not require the full-time care and supervision provided by a nursing home. Unfortunately, sudden increases in monthly rent have become an unwelcome fact of life for many of these residents, threatening their ability to remain part of their communities. I urge the Administration for Community Living to encourage states to adopt or strengthen basic notice protections regarding sudden rent increases for seniors living in assisted living facilities so that these seniors have the ability to seek an accommodation that allows them to remain in their units.

One recent report found that the elderly residents of the Autumn Glen assisted living community in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, were informed that the rent for their housing units would increase by $300 to $500 per month-a 15 to 30 percent increase. Although the operator of the senior living center later committed to limit these rent increases to four percent or less, many residents of Autumn Glen faced the very real possibility of being been priced out of their homes without knowing a specific representative they could contact about it. This treatment of vulnerable seniors is unacceptable.

At the state level, most jurisdictions require a period of notice-often 30 days-before a land lord may raise their tenants' rent. Upon receiving these notices, a tenant living on a fixed income may seek to contact the landlord to seek an accommodation that allows him or her to remain in the unit. However, with 82 percent of all assisted-living facilities in the U.S. owned by for-profit entities and ownership interests increasingly held as part of complex financial structures, many elderly residents cannot even identify an actual person they can meet or call to seek an accommodation. These state notice rules could go further and require landlords to identify an individual who residents can speak to about a proposed rent increase, list a working telephone number, and make that person available for a meeting prior to implementing a rent increase.

Such requirements would go a long way toward ensuring that individuals living on a fixed income--especially elderly residents of assisted living communities-have an opportunity to seek an accommodation before being forced to move.

I urge the Administration for Community Living, in coordination with other agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services, to take any actions within its authority to encourage states to adopt or strengthen these types of basic protections regarding sudden rent increases for seniors living in assisted living facilities, including by providing federal resources or technical assistance or issuing guidance on notice requirements. Please provide a written response to my office regarding how the Department plans to strengthen these types of protections.

Seniors in Minnesota and across the country deserve the dignity of their land lords providing clear information about a real person they can speak with when they face sudden and unreasonable rent increases in the assisted living communities that they call home. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

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