Cho Highlights Affordable Housing Opportunities Created by Hospital Consolidation

Manatt Health Managing Director  was featured in a recent National Association of Counties (NACo) article examining how hospital consolidation, restructuring and closures can create new opportunities to expand affordable and supportive housing. Cho shared his insights during the Large Urban County Caucus meeting focused on how counties and health systems can partner to address housing and homelessness challenges.

In the article, Cho emphasized that health systems are increasingly evaluating how their real estate assets can support patient needs, community housing needs and workforce housing challenges. He outlined how hospitals can repurpose underutilized properties to improve financial sustainability while helping address broader social determinants of health.

“I think potential opportunity here is how they can proactively leverage their real estate properties before they have to undergo these restructuring decisions,” Cho said. “As a way to help improve their bottom lines, as well as address some of the pressures that they’re facing, whether that’s freeing up hospital beds or addressing their workforce challenges.”

Cho also highlighted examples from across the country where health systems have successfully converted existing facilities into affordable housing developments and explained how counties can help facilitate these efforts through technical assistance, partnership-building and support for financing, zoning and community approvals.

The article underscores the growing recognition that housing plays a critical role in improving health outcomes while lowering costs and demonstrates how collaboration among counties, health systems and community partners can help create sustainable solutions for individuals and families in need.

Read the full NACo article .