Nearly 100 dementia patients are facing eviction from the Silverado Beach Cities Memory Care Community in Redondo Beach, California, as the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) board of directors plans an 11-acre campus redevelopment. The residents must vacate the facility by the end of the year.
Families of the affected patients have expressed outrage, citing concerns about the lack of adequate care resources in the area and potential health risks associated with the move. The decision by the BCHD board on May 27 to demolish the existing facility comes after a decade of planning for the site's redevelopment, which aims to replace buildings that are over 70 years old.
Project Development and Patient Relocation
The BCHD board's vote followed a series of negotiations with developers. Initially, the district favored a proposal from Continental Development and Mar Ventures that would have included the continued operation of the Silverado facility. However, according to a district spokesperson, negotiations led to changes that diminished the board's confidence in that proposal, and the deal eventually fell through.
In February, the board entered into negotiations with Sunrise Senior Living. The district stated that Sunrise's proposal was more profitable, offered shorter timelines, and included more space for community amenities. This new proposal, however, did not involve retaining the Silverado center. Instead, Sunrise plans to build its own senior living facility on the site, incorporating a mix of independent living, assisted living, and memory care units.
Philip Kroskin, head of real estate and senior vice president of investments at Sunrise, indicated confidence in Sunrise's offerings and stated the company is partnering with BCHD to support impacted residents and staff. The BCHD board ultimately opted for the Sunrise project, deeming its long-term community benefits to outweigh the concerns over relocating the Silverado residents.
Resident and Family Concerns
Tom Bakaly, chief executive of BCHD, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, noting that many residents have personal connections to board members and the community. He stated that the board made a difficult but ultimately correct decision for the community's future. Despite assurances from the district and future partners, families have voiced distress over the imminent displacement.
Nicole Purohit, a family member of a resident, shared her belief that the facility would be her mother's final home. The situation also affects families like that of Pat Aust, a former Redondo Beach Fire Department official and city council member who previously served on the BCHD board. His daughter expressed that he would be disappointed with the current treatment of residents by elected leaders.
The ground lease agreement between the city and Sunrise has been finalized, but the project still requires multiple city approvals before construction can begin. The BCHD had previously sent a letter in December assuring prospective residents that they could move in with confidence and would have access to a Silverado bed throughout the redevelopment process, a statement that stands in contrast to the current eviction notices.