Senior citizens are a growing segment of Utah’s homeless — so lawmakers want to see how much of that may come from residents being forced to leave assisted living centers for such things as nonpayment or disruptive behavior.
Rep. Karen Kwan, D-Murray, the bill’s sponsor, said it will require assisted living centers to report to the state anytime they are forcing the release of residents, allowing an existing state ombudsman to interview them and track reasons — and help them to find a safe place to live, if possible.
She said she’d heard many anecdotal reports from constituents that rising costs at assisted living centers are forcing out residents who have no where to go, and she would like to collect data about how big the problem may be to help solve it.