Independent Living in Arkansas

As families search for senior living, Arkansas should stand out for those seeking a mild climate, affordable living costs, and plenty of natural beauty and outdoor activities.

Arkansas — known as “The Natural State” for its abundance of lakes, rivers, and forests — sits in a geographical transition zone between the Deep South and the Midwest, and features the best of both regions. Winters are short without extreme cold, and the Ozarks stretch down into the state’s northern counties. Here you’ll find gems such as Eureka Springs, the artistic oasis in the hills surrounding Beaver Lake, along with Ozark National Forest and the Buffalo National River. But it’s the Ouachita Mountains and healing waters of Hot Springs National Park of central Arkansas that attract most of the state’s tourists. Arkansas is also home to the small but diverse cities of Fayetteville and Little Rock, both of which are college towns with enough options and activities to cater to anyone’s interests.

Currently, A Place for Mom partners with more than 30 independent living communities in Arkansas.

The median monthly cost of independent living in Arkansas is about $2,500.

Independent living communities (or independent living wings of senior living communities) aren’t regulated like senior care centers. Independent living is regulated just like any other rental complex, because it’s for independent and active seniors.

It’s set apart from other rental complexes by age restrictions — usually 55+ — and by additional resort-style services on-site. If an independent living community shares a campus with an assisted living unit, only the assisted living part of the community will be regulated by the state department of health. If you would like to learn about assisted living regulations in Arkansas, check out our Arkansas assisted living regulations page.

While minimal, there are some federal regulations that all landlords of rental properties must abide by or risk lawsuits. Those federal regulations are represented by these two federal acts:

• The Federal Fair Housing Act prevents landlords from denying prospective residents because of their disability, nationality, race, family, religion, or sex.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that landlords accommodate any tenants with disabilities by making “reasonable accommodations and modifications” to the property for best accessibility. This could include a number of actions, like installing ramps for wheelchair users or allowing residents to install grab bars to their bathroom.

The state also typically has its own set of additional regulations for landlords or private rental properties, like independent living communities. Those regulations are outlined by the Arkansas attorney general as landlord and tenant rights. You can find those on the attorney general’s “Consumer Protections” page: Arkansas Landlord and Tenant Rights.

Most independent senior living communities are privately owned and have landlords represented by on-site managers. Seniors that have never rented before can benefit from investigating all they can about the landlord-tenant relationship and their protections under the law.

Below, we highlight some important renter rights and regulations to know. Keep in mind this list is not exhaustive, and lease agreements will vary, so always read them closely before signing.

• Landlords must provide tenants at least one month’s notice before raising rent. Landlords must also notify tenants of termination of the lease according to the timeframe outlined in the lease.
• Tenants must receive approval from the landlord or manager before allowing anyone else to live in the rental unit.
• If tenants plan to move, they must give notice according to the lease agreements. Keep in mind that it can be difficult to break a lease, i.e., move out before the end of the lease term.
• When you sign a lease in Arkansas, you’re accepting the rental unit “as is.” The landlord isn’t accountable to provide additional maintenance to the dwelling aside from maintaining building health and safety codes.
• The landlord should outline the types of repairs they will make to the unit in the lease. If the tenant requires a repair to the unit, they should request it in writing.
• If the landlord breaks a lease agreement, a tenant can seek recourse by either renegotiating with the manager on the terms of the lease, going to small claims court, or hiring a lawyer. Correspondence between the tenant and the landlord or manager must be well documented.
• Security deposits can’t be more than twice the amount of rent. Unless there were deductions made due to damage to the rental unit, the landlord must return the deposit to the tenant within 60 days of them moving out. If deductions were made due to damage, the landlord or manager must provide the tenant with an itemized list of what was deducted.

Again, it’s very important to thoroughly read a lease agreement and understand the contract before signing. The above regulations are general and, depending on the community, a lease may have additional stipulations and rules a tenant must follow to remain in compliance with the lease. Make sure to always have copies of the written agreement to reference, especially in cases where the manager or landlord is not holding up their end of the bargain.

Arkansas offers a Consumer Complaint portal for renters and other consumers to utilize if they’re being treated unfairly in a tenant-landlord dispute. If you’ve tried to negotiate with your manager or landlord with no luck, and documented it thoroughly while continuing to pay your rent, you can seek resources through the attorney general’s office.