Until August 12, most evictions are banned in Minnesota, but for some seniors in assisted living facilities, termination of medical services effectively means an eviction during a pandemic. Last year, the state legislature passed new protections for seniors who might have a suspension of medical care while in an assisted living facility, but many of the rules are not scheduled to be implemented until next summer. The Legal Services Advocacy Project (LSAP) and other elder advocates would like to see the new regulations implemented much sooner.

The new regulations are part of a first-time licensing system for assisted living, legislated after widespread elder abuse in Minnesota’s long-term care industry was reported. Ron Elwood, supervising attorney for LSAP, said Minnesota was the last state in the country to license assisted living housing.

In the meantime, seniors remain unusually vulnerable to losing housing, and as a high risk group for COVID-19, it is cause for alarm. Read more in MinnPost.