Independent Living in West Virginia

West Virginia has earned its nickname of “The Mountain State” by being the only state located entirely within the Appalachian Mountain Range. The state is considered to be one of the most scenic in the country, with its rolling hills and stunning mountain views, and has the highest average elevation east of the Mississippi River. Aside from its natural beauty, West Virginia has a number of unique cities, such as West Virginia University’s home of Morgantown, and the state capital of Charleston. Between its natural beauty and quaint charm, as well as its convenient proximity to other major cities in the Midwest, the South, and the Mid-Atlantic, West Virginia has something to offer everyone and is an ideal place to retire.

Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than 15 retirement communities in West Virginia that provide independent living.

The median monthly cost of independent living in West Virginia is about $3,000.

State agencies don’t regulate independent living communities in West Virginia unless they share a building or campus with an assisted living or memory care facility. This means stand-alone independent living communities only need to comply with general housing and rental regulations. Some communities do require potential residents to be at least 55 years old.

Regulations for independent living communities on a senior care campus

Independent living communities that share a building or campus with an assisted living and/or memory care unit must abide by the same regulations those facilities do. In these cases, they follow regulations West Virginia’s Department of Health and Human Service’s (DHHR) Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification enforce.

Regulations for stand-alone independent living communities

Because stand-alone living communities are only required to comply with West Virginia’s housing and apartment regulations, landlords and tenants bear the brunt of the responsibilities. A landlord is responsible for the following:^[01]

• Ensuring the dwelling is in a fit and habitable condition
• Making repairs in a reasonable amount of time after receiving written notice from tenants
• Maintaining electrical, plumbing, sanitation, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
• Supplying running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times

Tenants have their own obligations, which include:

• Paying rent on time
• Keeping the rental clean and sanitary, including regularly removing waste and garbage
• Not purposefully destroying or damaging property
• Paying for damage they or their guests cause to the property
• Notifying a landlord in writing of any needed repairs before moving in and while living there
• Reporting any unfit housing conditions to the landlord or local government agencies

Protections against discrimination

The Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act are all federal laws protecting tenants in West Virginia from discrimination. Additionally, the West Virginia Fair Housing Act and West Virginia Human Rights Act safeguard people from discriminatory practices based on race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, familial status, blindness, and/or disability.^[02]

Housing providers must also make reasonable accommodations and allow reasonable modifications to the rental when necessary so people with disabilities can enjoy the home. These accommodations must be provided by the landlord unless it would be too much of a financial burden. Some examples include adding a grab bar to a bathroom, accessible parking near the entrance, and adjusting the rent payment schedule to be more convenient to those receiving income assistance.

How to find independent living community inspection reports

Though West Virginia doesn’t require inspection reports at a state level, many cities and counties have their own regulations involving them. For instance, the city of Huntington adopted a rental registry for landlords leasing out properties and hired housing inspectors to annually review rentals. Considering the registry and inspections are available online, it’s worth contacting your local housing authority to see if they have something similar.

Independent living communities sharing a building or campus with assisted living and/or memory units undergo periodic inspections by the state’s DHHR Office of Facility Licensure and Certification. For this review, a specialized team of inspectors conducts a health investigation and a life safety inspection to guarantee compliance with state regulations. Additionally, if a complaint submitted online or in writing is serious enough, the department will conduct an unannounced inspection to confirm the complaint’s validity.^[03]

All these inspections and investigations — as well as a facility’s re-licensure survey results — are available online using West Virginia’s health care facility lookup tool. The long-term care ombudsman program can also answer questions you may have concerning a community’s violation history.

West Virginia Department of Health contact information

West Virginia Department of Health
Office of the Secretary
One Davis Square, Suite 100 East
Charleston, West Virginia 25301

Phone: (304) 558-0684
Fax: (304) 558-1130
Email: DHSecretary@wv.gov