American Seniors Housing Association Approves Five-Year Strategic Plan

Plan establishes five strategic goals to shape the future of senior living from 2027 through 2031

WASHINGTON, D.C., DC, UNITED STATES, October 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) Executive Board has approved a five-year strategic plan establishing key priorities for the association and its members from 2027 through 2031.

The plan was reviewed and accepted at ASHA’s Fall Executive Board Meeting on October 21, 2026. The plan outlines five strategic goals designed to strengthen the association, advance the senior living industry and help shape its future.

ASHA conducts strategic planning on a regular basis. Its current strategic plan, covering 2021 – 2026, concludes at the end of this year.

“The approval of this strategic plan represents an important step forward for ASHA and the senior living industry,” said David Schless, ASHA President and CEO. “The new strategic plan will help ASHA carry out its mission to serve as a trusted resource for consumers, policymakers, and industry leaders; focus on raising awareness of the benefits of senior living; advance advocacy; and promote research and education related to its community settings.”

The 2027 – 2031 plan provides a framework for ASHA and its members to align priorities, strengthen industry leadership and pursue opportunities that support the continued advancement of senior living.

Richard Hutchinson, ASHA Chair and founder and CEO of Discovery Senior Living stated, “The strength of ASHA has always been rooted in the collective expertise, engagement and commitment of our members. As we look to the next five years, this strategic plan reflects both a shared vision and a call to action. By working collaboratively, leveraging the diverse perspectives of our membership and aligning around common priorities, we can strengthen our industry’s voice, address emerging challenges and opportunities, and continue advancing senior living. Our success will be defined by the priorities we establish and by our collective ability, and commitment, to execute against them.”

Work on the 2027 – 2031 Strategic Plan began in the summer of 2025 when ASHA distributed an extensive survey to its membership. More than 100 members completed the survey, the results of which provided insights and helped shape the planning process.

Based on the survey responses, ASHA established task forces that worked for several months to identify priorities and inform the next phase of planning. The formal strategic planning process began in March 2026 and continued through the summer and fall, culminating this October in the approval of the 2027 – 2031 Five-Year Strategic Plan.

The five goals established and outlined in the strategic plan are:

Goal 1: Advocacy and Member Policy Engagement

A well-informed membership that understands the public policy and business imperatives of a robust advocacy program, prompting meaningful member commitment of both time and resources.

Goal 2: Direct-to-Consumer Relationship

ASHA will make senior living a more trusted and aspirational lifestyle choice by advancing Where You Live Matters (WYLM) as an industry-owned consumer education and demand-generation platform and using evidence from pilot programs to determine the path to scale.

Goal 3: Data and Evidence-Based Research

ASHA will continue to be a leading source for data, research and evidence-based insights — empowering informed decision-making, shaping public perception, and guiding the future of senior living.

Goal 4: Collaboration and Industry Thought Leadership

Serve as the industry’s leadership engine – convening members to generate forward-looking insights, challenge assumptions, and translate ideas into measurable action.

Goal 5: Organizational Evolution

Review and evolve ASHA’s operating model, staffing, funding, committee structure, governance, and succession to ensure the capacity and accountability required to execute the strategic plan.

ASHA’s Strategic Planning Committee was comprised of representatives from all three levels of ASHA membership and member businesses involved in development, ownership, operations, and technology. These senior living leaders from across the country were brought together to help shape the association’s priorities for the next five years.

Strategic Planning Committee Members

• Jerry Frumm, Senior Lifestyle
• Jim Gray, Bridgewood Property Company
• Michael Grust, Senior Resource Group (SRG)
• Stephanie Harris, Arrow Senior Living
• Taylor Hernandez, Senior Star
• Justin Hutchens, Ventas
• Richard Hutchinson, Discovery Senior Living
• Jesse Jantzen, Lifespace Communities
• Lynne Katzmann, Juniper Communities
• Jeanne McGlynn Delgado, ASHA
• Tim McHugh, Welltower
• Mike McMillen, SafelyYou
• Kurt Read, RSF Partners
• David Schless, ASHA
• Bill Shorten, Cascade Living
• Kathryn Sweeney, Blue Moon Capital Partners
• Trevor Sweeney, Ventas
• Bob Thomas, Senior Star

The American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) is the premier national organization representing owners, operators, developers, and investors in the seniors housing industry. ASHA advocates on federal policy, produces industry-defining research, and provides thought leadership on independent living, assisted living, memory care, and life plan communities. Learn more at ashaliving.org.

Jeanine Genauer
JPR Group Public Relations

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