Senior housing exec discusses post-COVID battle to restore the industry

Though the senior housing sector is still convalescing from its torrid bout of COVID-19, all was not lost during the treacherous dog days of the pandemic. Despite little help from the federal government — especially during the early stage of the crisis — and a national 10 percent to 15 percent drop occupancy, U.S. banks have demonstrated leniency to senior housing players, and investors are still showing interest in the space.

What’s more, Don Husi, managing director of Ziegler’s senior housing and care finance team, a senior housing and healthcare investment bank, said during a recent podcast with Real Assets Adviser that the industry has learned a great deal about how to control infectious diseases and has hardened its defenses.

“We now know how to battle the flu,” Husi said. “The industry will be dealing with the flu an entirely different way in senior housing buildings.”

Meanwhile, the company is receiving a couple of calls