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Insight & Strategy - Healthcare & Senior HousingNew Association launched forhealthcare and senior housingOrganisation to bring togther investors, operators and stakeholders. Nicol Dynes reportsAvirtual unveiling for an innovative,ambitious and much-needed‘real’ project: the Senior Housingand Healthcare Association (SHHA),established by Real Asset Media, HEVOand the Amsterdam School of Real Estate,was launched at the beginning of June.‘Healthcare is becoming a mature assetclass, driven by ageing demographicsthroughout Europe,’ said Ron van Bloois,partner at HEVO, at the launch. ‘Now theCovid-19 crisis has made everyone realisethe importance of having a professional,well-run healthcare sector.’Over-65-year-olds now comprise 20% ofthe population, but that percentage is setto increase to 30% by 2060.‘Investors have been switching toalternative asset classes for a while now,looking for volume and diversificationbut above all for long-term cash flowsand yields,’ said van Bloois. ‘Healthcareoffers all that, plus the fact that is it notinfluenced by political trends or economiccycles. It also ticks the impact investingbox, as it has a positive impact on elderlypeople’s quality of life and is in line withESG and SDG criteria.’RISING NUMBER OF INVESTORSInvestment volumes and deal flows havebeen increasing in Europe, with theinvolvement of a rising number of seriousinvestors with a significant track record,and ticket sizes have been increasing bothfor single asset and portfolio deals. Onerecent example is Aedifica’s acquisition ofa healthcare real estate portfolio in the UKfor £450m.As public awareness, general interestand investor demand grow, the need hasemerged for a better knowledge of, andcommunication within, the sector.SHHA aims to highlight, promote andencourage the senior housing andhealthcare real estate investment marketsby bringing together investors, operatorsand stakeholders from across the industryto network and share best practice,research and insights.‘The Association has been founded to bringtogether all stakeholders with a sharedpurpose and create a future-proof local,European and global system,’ added vanBloois. ‘We need unbiased, independentdata and benchmarks which are nowlacking, as well as clear terminology.’The data will be collated anonymouslyby the Amsterdam School of Real Estate,whose experts will also undertake theresearch projects.‘Sharing knowledge is key, there is somuch we can learn from each other,’ saidvan Bloois. ‘To begin with we’ll focuson Europe, but in one or two years myambition is to create a bridge across toAsia and the US to make the Associationtruly global.’‘We need unbiased, independent dataand benchmarks which are now lacking,as well as clear terminology.’Ron van Bloois, HEVOAs well as creating benchmarks, collectingdata and producing independent research,the Association will organise an annualconference and other networking eventsand there will also be a chat function onthe website to encourage communicationand the exchange of ideas and provide avoice for the sector.A dedicated publication that will shareinsights, best practice, and promotethe sector to a global audience will bedistributed alongside Real Asset Insightmagazine and there will also be a range ofpublications and research papers available.Along with Real Asset Media, HEVOand the Amsterdam School of RealEstate, the founding partners of SHHAare Bouwinvest, CBRE, Aedifica,Cofinimmo, Korian, Syntrus, Mozaic AssetManagement, Triginta and Care PropertyInvest. Companies large and small, as wellas interested individuals, are welcome tojoin the Association.www.SHHA.internationalIssue 2 July 2020 | Real Asset Insight 53
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