Guiding Principles of Public Policy

1) National Church Residences Public Policy Priorities will be strategically aligned with our mission to provide high-quality care, services, and communities for seniors. All priorities are grounded in our core values:

• Purposeful Service (Mission): We are driven by a deep sense our work should honor God; we are inspired to serve seniors so they can thrive in safe and loving homes.
• Compassion: We strive to foster a caring community of dignity and belonging.
• Equity and Inclusion: We pursue fairness, diversity, and inclusion to respect, value, and protect our employees, residents and all whom we serve.
• Excellence (Professionalism): We commit to the highest standards of integrity, quality, stewardship and safety, while continuously innovating and improving.
• Servant Leadership (Leadership): We place the needs of others first. We are willing to learn from and elevate each other, and celebrate our successes.

2) National Church Residences Public Policy Priorities must advance National Church Residences’ strategic plan, as adopted annually by its board of directors.

3) National Church Residences Public Policy Priorities, progress of National Church Residences Public Policy Priorities, and return on investment of National Church Residences Public Policy Priorities will be presented annually to the board of directors.

4.) Consistent with National Church Residences best of class standards, National Church Residences Public Policy priorities will be implemented with the highest level of integrity and operational excellence, and will support innovative leadership and effective collaboration with partners.

5.) National Church Residences Public Policy Priorities will advance societal improvements for older adults, housing and health care, and will strive to educate the public on the importance of always producing good for others.

6.) In a time of rapidly changing finance sources for health care and housing, National

Church Residences Public Policy Priorities will:

• Support preservation of our existing housing and health care portfolio;
• Support expansion of housing and health care opportunities;
• Advance housing as a platform for health care.

Public Policy Priorities

National Church Residences provides high quality care, services and communities for more than 60,000 seniors in 25 states. Our continuum of communities and services work with governmental programs at federal, state and local levels. Through a combination of engagement with our industry associations and direct relationship building with elected officials and regulators, we advocate on policy issues in two over-arching categories: Affordable Service-Enriched Housing Expansion & Preservation and Senior Health Care Sustainability & Expansion.

AFFORDABLE SERVICE ENRICHED HOUSING EXPANSION & PRESERVATION

1. Protect the Low Income Housing Tax Credit in federal tax reform and advance efforts to strengthen the Federal Tax Credit and State Tax Credit Programs.
2. Advance preservation solutions for aging HUD 202 portfolios (“RAD for PRAC”) and a restore funding for new HUD 202 production.
3. Protect rental assistance funding (i.e. Section 8, PBRA, PRAC).
4. Advocate for best practices across states in Qualified Allocation Plans.
5. Advocate for increased state and local resources for affordable housing and address policy-related barriers inhibiting development in core housing markets.
6. Protect and expand Service Coordinator funding.

SENIOR HEALTH CARE SUSTAINABILITY & EXPANSION

1. Protect and expand home and community-based service programs, both in National Church Residences’ housing and in the community.
2. Protect and increase reimbursement rates to provide quality care to clients and to support living wage for our workforce.
3. Expand innovative care opportunities for older adults and vulnerable populations within the managed care environment.
4. Protect Medicaid expansion and health care access for our residents in health care reform efforts.
5. Grow and lead health outcomes measurement in housing to demonstrate housing as a platform for improved health and healthcare savings.
6. Advance innovative health care resources as a capital source of funding for affordable housing with services.
7. Seek solutions for affordable Internet and access to telehealth. Digital Equity = Health Equity and that starts with access to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service.