Visit underscores assisted living priorities and highlights successful advocacy to protect senior living communities in federal housing legislation.
Scott Kingsborough, owner of The Manor senior living community in Little Rock, hosted Congressman French Hill (R-AR) and his staff for a tour of the community last week. Members and leadership of the Arkansas Residential Assisted Living Association (ARALA), along with Argentum staff, also participated in the visit.
During the tour, Congressman Hill met with residents and staff and joined ARALA members for a discussion on several key issues affecting senior living providers. Topics included federal housing legislation, the status of a pilot program that would allow veterans to reside in assisted living communities, Medicaid assisted living challenges in Arkansas, and issues related to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Congressman Hill serves as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is the lead sponsor of The 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which became law last week. The legislation is intended to increase housing supply, improve affordability, curb institutional investor influence in the single-family housing market, and expand federal support and oversight for housing programs.
During consideration of the bill, a provision raised concerns because it could have unintentionally limited access to senior living by restricting certain property purchases, including those within senior living communities. Limited exceptions applied only to new construction, renovations, and rental conversions.
Argentum, the American Seniors Housing Association, and the National Center for Assisted Living successfully advocated for language clarifying legislative intent to exclude senior living communities from an unintended consequence of the legislation. The language was formally inserted into the Congressional Record and states, “purchases of homes used to provide residential care for individuals with disabilities or developmental disabilities, or in senior living communities, should be exempt, as these are unrelated to the problem being addressed by the Act.”
Argentum appreciates the efforts of Scott Kingsborough and ARALA, who personally engaged Congressman Hill and others to help secure a satisfactory resolution. Their advocacy was instrumental in ensuring the inclusion of the clarifying language in the Congressional Record. Argentum also thanks ARALA Executive Director Mindy Brigance for her grassroots leadership and coordination of the tour, as well as the residents and staff of The Manor for their hospitality and warm welcome.