Jaybird Senior Living Pivots To Growth Via Ownership With Goal To Upsize In 2026

Jaybird Senior Living is once again executing on new growth, adding new communities and expanding into new markets, according to Jaybird Senior Living President Justin Wray.

In 2026, the company has an approximate acquisition goal of notching 15 new acquisitions. That would follow a string of acquisitions of five communities in Massachusetts, Utah, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The communities were acquired through lending that included Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) financing, with the “ultimate goal” of getting “as many buildings as possible” into HUD-structured financing arrangements.

The long-term nature of HUD financing allows for a “20-year-play” rather than necessitating a quick exit, Wray said. Jaybird Senior Living contrasts HUD terms with the “current lending environment,” calling HUD notes “a little friendlier” in today’s market.

“I’ts a plug-and-play type model and we went into new markets because it helps give us more opportunities,” Wray said. “We know exactly the nuances and the practices that you have to follow in order to ensure compliance.”

Jaybird Senior Living’s focus on new growth comes after a time of realignment in 2024 and 2025 in which the company shed nearly half of its operating portfolio, going from more than 70 communities to under 40.

“We want to be intentional about our growth, but you can’t lose sight of what you currently have,” Wray told Senior Housing News in a recent interview. “In this type of environment, you have opportunities to slide back and that defeats the purpose of intentional growth.”

As of May, Jaybird oversees a portfolio of 43 communities, with the company owning 60% of its properties through Jaybird Capital with remaining communities in joint venture structures. In total, the company has approximately 10 communities under third-party management agreements.

Taking on new markets, bringing on new leaders

This is the first time Jaybird has operated a community in the Northeast, taking on a community near Boston under management with a future path toward potential ownership, Wray said. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based senior living provider is also entering Utah for the first time after taking on two new communities in St. George, Utah.

Entering the Boston metro area made sense for Jaybird, and the company’s values and mission aligned with the existing ownership group in putting residents first. Expanding to the East Coast was also something that Jaybird Senior Living had been “toyed with the idea of for some time,” Wray noted.

“We needed to plant our flag and it’s a good place to start building out a team and those resources so that we can strategically grow in a new market,” Wray said. “I think when we looked at all the ingredients that came together, it was the perfect ingredient list to help us say, ‘yes, this makes sense.'” 

Jaybird Senior Living has also expanded its corporate leadership team with new hires, including veteran senior living sales and marketing expert Christy Van Der Westhuizen as senior vice president of sales and former Pegasus Senior Living Regional Vice President of Operations Erica Ogle as senior vice president of operations.

Bringing on new leaders and sizing up new acquisitions is all about “balance,” Wray said. The company is pursuing ownership of its communities over new third-party management contracts.

“Having the ability to own gives you a lot more security for a much longer runway,” Wray said. “I think what we are seeing in the industry is that management contracts come and go, but there’s a lot of security to own.”

But while ownership provides value in the long-run, a certain “synergy” is required in sustaining  operations and aligning capital expectations, Wray added. 

‘Solidifying operations,’ finding priorities in 2026

In 2026, Wray said Jaybird Senior Living has a chance to “resolidify” its operations, building off of a year of pruning the portfolio and then seeking out the right growth opportunities.

In recent years, Wray said Jaybird Senior Living has been “able to pivot” given the host of operating challenges that have come forward in the last six years. By taking on new ownership of more communities, it has caused the company to “shift our approach,” in operations.

This year, Jaybird Senior Living reviewed its signature programs, moving from a year of transition to now in 2026 into a year of “refinement,” Wray said.

“It’s from our signature programs to technology to make sure that we’re helping our teams be better in their roles while continuing to grow,” Wray added.

This year, Jaybird Senior Living is focused on service delivery as the company’s “biggest focus,” including reviews of technology platforms and procedures in operations to determine if they fit into the demands required for providing senior living in 2026.

Another area of focus includes technology and care delivery, while offering training to staff to improve performance in sales, along with training for community executive directors and clinical staff.

“We see this trifecta of individuals really being the ones that are going to charge forward,” Wray said.

Looking ahead, Wray said he is “extremely optimistic” about the path forward for Jaybird Senior Living, citing future acquisition opportunities contrasted with internal staffing improvements to continue sustainable growth.

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