What Certus Living does

Certus Living is a privately held, founder-controlled senior living management firm headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, that operates as a third-party developer and operator of senior living communities across the United States. Founded in 2009 by Will Haase, the company specializes in operational turnarounds of distressed assets, full-continuum CCRC management (independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and respite), and development services including master planning, new development, and redevelopment. Documented engagements include The Reserve of Geneva (IL, 55+ independent living), Heritage of Green Hills (PA, 267-unit entrance-fee CCRC managed since 2022), The Oaks at Bartlett (IL, 283-unit CCRC taken over in August 2023 following bond default and sold for $42M in December 2024 after a documented turnaround), Edgemere (TX, 500-unit luxury CCRC managed since August 2024), and Prairie Path (IL, 273-unit CCRC transitioning to a rental model with $14M in planned renovations).

The company's core differentiators are its proprietary signature programs — Elevate™ Wellness and Vitalize™ Memory Care — and a hands-on, bottom-up management approach underpinned by a leadership team with decades of senior care experience across clinical, financial, operational, and development roles. The technology stack is composed of best-in-class third-party platforms: PointClickCare for electronic health records, Aline CRM for real-time operational analytics, Bluefingerprint for personal data security, and Matterport for immersive virtual property tours, supplemented by a proprietary Entrance Fee Amortization Tracking Tool. Certus Living is a HIPAA-compliant operator and holds multiple industry awards, including an ABC Keystone Excellence in Construction Award (2024), seven consecutive Reading Eagle Readers' Choice Awards, and seven consecutive Berks County Living Best of Berks Awards for Heritage of Green Hills.

The business model is asset-light: Certus Living does not own the underlying real estate but earns management fees from property owners, institutional investors, and community boards under multi-year contracts, with pricing negotiated per engagement based on scope, community size, and care levels provided. The firm targets a narrow, high-value customer segment — owners of distressed or underperforming senior living assets and institutional investors seeking experienced operating partners — and acquires new engagements through a referral network of investment sales advisors (e.g., Continuum Advisors, Citrine Investment Group, Lapis Advisers), bond trustees, court-appointed receivers, and demonstrated case-study results. The firm reports 1–10 corporate employees, reflecting a lean operating model in which community-level clinical and operational staff are employed by the property owner.

Name

Certus Living

Legal name

Certus Living

Website

https://certusliv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Certus Living is a privately held, founder-controlled third-party senior living management firm that specializes in operational turnarounds of distressed CCRCs and full-continuum care management for institutional owners and investors across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Living Management Services

NAICS

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (623311), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (6233)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Life Plan / Entrance-Fee CCRCs (HLADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC) with Memory Care (HLADACAD), Assisted Living with Memory Care (Mixed Campus) (HLADABAB), Rental / Fee-for-Service CCRCs (HLADAEAB)

Keywords

• Senior living management
• CCRC operations
• Memory care services
• Assisted living management
• Distressed asset turnaround

Headquarters

HQ city

Minnetonka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Third-Party Management Fees: Certus Living operates as a third-party developer and operator of senior living communities, earning management fees from property owners in exchange for comprehensive operational management, financial oversight, sales and marketing, and care delivery across independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and CCRC communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Certus Living is a third-party developer and operator providing comprehensive management services for senior living communities across the full continuum of care—independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and CCRC. The firm earns management fees by handling operations, clinical care, finance, sales and marketing, compliance, and risk for community owners and institutional investors, with a specialization in distressed-asset turnaround and redevelopment projects.

Product overview

Certus Living is a senior living management firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of managed communities and signature programs. The company manages multiple senior living communities across the United States (including The Reserve of Geneva, Heritage of Green Hills, The Oaks at Bartlett, Edgemere, and Prairie Path) providing a full continuum of care services: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Respite Care, and Skilled Nursing within Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) settings. Certus Living also provides management services to partner communities including Clinical and Health Services, Finance Related Services, Sales and Marketing, Strategic Planning, Compliance, Technology Integration, Risk Management, and Corporate Services. The company differentiates through two signature programs: Elevate™ Wellness (holistic wellness programming for body, mind, and spirit) and Vitalize™ Memory Care (specialized dementia care programming). Additionally, the company offers Development Services encompassing Master Planning, New Development, and Redevelopments for senior living communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elevate Wellness: A wellness program that helps residents thrive in body, mind, and spirit, based on holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
• Vitalize Memory Care

Products and services

• The Reserve of Geneva A 55+ active independent living community located in Geneva, Illinois managed by Certus Living, which was previously under 40% occupancy and has been transformed through operational and physical improvements under Certus Living's oversight.
• Heritage of Green Hills A premier 267-unit entrance fee Life Plan Community (CCRC) in Shillington, Pennsylvania that Certus Living has managed since 2022, overseeing operational stabilization, rebranding, and development of a new 70-bed assisted living and memory care building.
• The Oaks at Bartlett A 283-unit Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Bartlett, Illinois, spanning 37 acres, which Certus Living turned around from default and operational losses and prepared for successful sale in 2024 for $42 million.
• Edgemere A 500-unit luxury senior living community in Dallas, Texas offering 300 independent living apartments and 200 higher-care units on 16 acres, managed by Certus Living since August 2024 and approaching full occupancy under Certus management.
• Vitalize™ Memory Care Program Signature memory care program that empowers residents with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other forms of memory loss to live fulfilling lives through research-based programming focused on environment, care, connection, and purpose.
• Elevate™ Wellness Program Signature wellness program helping residents thrive across three pillars—Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, and Healthy Spirit—based on holistic integration of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
• Independent Living Care Service Senior living care option where residents enjoy a vibrant lifestyle in a supportive community while maintaining independence and accessing various amenities and activities.
• Assisted Living Care Service Personalized care and support with daily activities such as bathing and medication management, while promoting independence in a comfortable community setting.
• Memory Care Service Specialized support for seniors living with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other memory-related conditions in a secure, nurturing environment with trained staff.
• Respite Care Service Temporary, professional support for seniors allowing caregivers to take a break while ensuring their loved ones receive quality care in a safe environment.
• Skilled Nursing Care Service Round-the-clock skilled nursing support and rehabilitation services for residents requiring more intensive medical care, including 24/7 nursing care, medication management, and therapy services.
• Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) Full continuum of care providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing all on one campus, available in either rental or entrance fee models.
• Sales and Marketing Management Service Comprehensive sales and marketing services for senior living communities, including strategic planning, event planning, 24/7 admissions, sales training, digital strategy, SEO, geo-targeting, and referral networking.
• Finance Management Service Expert financial management including budgeting, forecasting, data analysis, reporting, revenue cycle management, entrance fee oversight, and compliance reporting.
• Clinical and Health Services Management Comprehensive clinical support including personalized care plans, regulatory compliance, best practices implementation, and specialized care programs such as respiratory care, dialysis services, and wound care.
• Corporate Services Comprehensive corporate support providing full access to the Certus team for efficient staffing, resource allocation, and industry requirement compliance.
• Development Services Comprehensive senior living development services including Master Planning, New Development, and Redevelopments, covering everything from initial visioning and site selection through construction and grand opening.

Quantifiable outcome

• Turned $150,000/month operating losses to positive NOI within months at The Oaks at Bartlett
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Continuum AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 December 2024Continuum Advisors, a national senior housing investment sales and advisory firm, was engaged by Certus Living and the Board of The Oaks at Bartlett to broker the sale of the community. With Certus Living's turnaround achievements creating an attractive asset, Continuum Advisors facilitated the $42M sale to a well-capitalized buyer in December 2024. Continuum Advisors has closed over 200 senior housing transactions across 35 states with an average transaction size of $40-50M.
• Benchmark Construction Company, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBenchmark Construction, an ABC Keystone member, served as the general contractor for the 70-bed Care Center at The Heritage of Green Hills, completed on schedule and under budget in 2022. Certus Living contracted Benchmark as owner's representative during the 17-month construction process.
• Certus FinancialminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCertus Financial served as the owner's representative for The Heritage of Green Hills during the development of the new Health Care Center, working closely with Certus Living's management team to oversee the project.
• Meyer Senior Living StudiominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMeyer Senior Living Studio provided architecture, interior design, and FF+E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) procurement services for the new Health Care Center at The Heritage of Green Hills, contributing to the project's design excellence recognized by the Excellence in Construction Award.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Sunrise Senior Living: Established national senior living operator with strong assisted living and memory care focus. Comparable in care continuum coverage and serves as a broader alternative for institutional owners evaluating third-party management partners.
• Atria Senior Living: Large national senior living operator and management company with broad portfolio across independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Overlaps with Certus's full continuum of care offering but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Brookdale Senior Living: Largest U.S. senior living operator with a national portfolio across all care levels. Competes for institutional management contracts but operates at much greater scale and brand recognition than Certus.

Regional players

• National HealthCare Corporation (NHC): Operates skilled nursing, assisted living, and senior living communities primarily in the southeastern U.S. Comparable in operating a full continuum of senior care services but with a regional rather than national footprint.

Direct peers

• Discovery Senior Living: Senior living management and operating company serving CCRCs, assisted living, and memory care communities nationally. Direct peer in third-party management services, particularly for communities in transition or distress.
• Life Care Services: One of the largest senior living management companies in the U.S., managing a large portfolio of CCRCs and life plan communities. Direct competitor to Certus in third-party CCRC and life plan management, including distressed and repositioning engagements.
• Enlivant: Senior living management company operating assisted living and memory care communities across the U.S. Direct peer in third-party senior care operations with similar focus on resident care quality and operational turnaround.
• Health Dimensions Group: Senior living and post-acute care management and consulting firm serving CCRCs and skilled nursing operators. Direct peer providing third-party management, consulting, and turnaround services to senior living communities and institutional owners.
• Watermark Retirement Communities: National third-party operator of CCRCs and senior living communities. Comparable in scale of managed portfolio and focus on life plan and entrance-fee communities, competing for the same institutional owner relationships.
• Five Star Senior Living: Senior living management and operating company focused on independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities. Comparable third-party management business model serving similar institutional owner and operator client base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certusliv

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Certus Living