October 13, 2025 —Kendal, a nationally recognized nonprofit leader in senior living and aging services, announced today that Humboldt Commons is now a new Kendal “Affiliate in Development.” Situated on California’s scenic North Coast, this resident-driven community for adults 62 and older is projected to open in 2028. Once open, Humboldt Commons: A Kendal Affiliate will join ten other Kendal Affiliates across eight states as part of the organization’s strategic growth initiative.
Located in McKinleyville, CA, Humboldt Commons represents Kendal’s commitment to expanding high-quality senior living options in underserved regions. The community will offer independent living on a walkable and accessible campus, where health and wellness navigation, as well as community connections, will be key, addressing a significant service gap for older adults in the local market.
Life Plan Humboldt, a grassroots group of dedicated neighbors, supporters, and visionaries in Humboldt County, has been diligently working to make the dream of community development a reality. Ann Lindsay, president of the group and a retired family practitioner in Arcata, CA, shares that her commitment to this project stems from her experiences caring for older people in the community who faced the negative impact of social isolation due to aging in their own homes.
“As a family practitioner in Arcata, I made home visits to older patients, some living alone in their two or three-bedroom home, having outlived their family,” Ann said. “I was struck by the profound social isolation they experienced, even with a helper coming into their home. Since there is no nonprofit senior living community for active adults within 200 miles of Humboldt County, I got busy working on a local offering, so I, too, can stay in Humboldt for the rest of my life and thrive. Together with many supporters and friends, we are thrilled to affiliate with Kendal, a highly respected national non-profit organization rooted in Quaker values.”
The partnership reflects Kendal’s strategic approach to growth through collaboration with mission-aligned organizations that share the nonprofit organization’s values of community, life-long learning and stewardship of the land. For over fifty years, Kendal has continued to draw strength and wisdom from Quaker-inspired Values. Sharing these common values helps ensure that residents and employee teams share a spirit of community, collaboration, and respect for each individual.
These deep-rooted values and the high level of experience and expertise in senior living that Kendal brings to Humboldt Commons are a critical value-add, offering professional support, national connections, operational efficiencies and cost savings achievable by being part of a larger network. With Kendal’s unique “federal” system model, all Affiliate members benefit from scale without giving up control. Affiliates maintain autonomy and respond to the needs of their distinct location, culture, and founding context.
Vassar Byrd, CEO of Kendal, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. “Humboldt Commons is the product of the vision and hard work of an amazing group of grassroots community leaders, and we are proud to partner with them and offer our expertise and the Kendal name to what will be a remarkable community,” shares Vassar. “Welcoming this community to the System is one way that we are advancing our plan to strategically grow Kendal in ways that benefit the System, while meeting community-based demands and needs for high-quality and differentiated aging services and senior living.”
Humboldt Commons will feature low-maintenance living in thoughtfully designed apartments and cottages. Residents will have walkable and accessible connections to McKinleyville’s amenities, including local shops, services, and cultural activities. Health navigation services will provide peace of mind, while living in a community will foster connections and inspire opportunities for lifelong learning and joyful experiences.
For more information, visit www.Humboldt.kendal.org.
About Kendal
Kendal is a national system of senior living communities and services rooted in Quaker values. With ten affiliates across eight states and one community in development, Kendal offers independent living, assisted living, memory support, skilled nursing, rehabilitation care, and in-home lifecare services. The organization is committed to fostering lifelong learning, resident-driven programming, and environmental stewardship while maintaining financial stability and operational excellence.
Kendal’s most recent addition was Enso Village: A Kendal Affiliate, a Zen-inspired community in Sonoma County, California, which opened in late 2023.
About Humboldt Commons- A Kendal Affiliate:
Humboldt Commons, an “Affiliate in Development” with the Kendal System, is slated to open in 2028 in California’s scenic North Coast. It is a community envisioned by Life Plan Humboldt, a local grassroots effort and nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing Humboldt County’s first and only resident-driven senior community for adults aged 62 and above. Humboldt Commons will begin accepting Futures Priority Waitlist deposits in the coming weeks.
