§ 143B-437.100. (Effective July 1, 2010) North Carolina Certified Retirement Community Program - creation; powers and duties. - North Carolina Statutes

Part 2K. North Carolina CertifiedRetirement Community Program.

§ 143B‑437.100. (Effective July 1, 2010) North Carolina Certified Retirement Community Program– creation; powers and duties.

(a)        Program. – There isestablished the North Carolina Certified Retirement Community Program as partof the 21st Century Communities program of the North Carolina Department ofCommerce. The Department shall coordinate the development and planning of theNorth Carolina Certified Retirement Community Program with other State andlocal groups interested in participating in and promoting the North CarolinaCertified Retirement Community Program. The Department shall adoptadministrative rules to implement the provisions of this Part. For purposes ofthis Part, "Department" means the North Carolina Department ofCommerce, and "Program" means the North Carolina Certified RetirementCommunity Program.

(b)        Purpose. – Thepurpose of the Program is to encourage retirees and those planning to retire tomake their homes in North Carolina. In order to further this purpose, theDepartment shall engage in the following activities:

(1)        Promote the State asa retirement destination to retirees and those persons and families who areplanning retirement both in and outside of North Carolina.

(2)        Assist NorthCarolina communities in their efforts to market themselves as retirementlocations and to develop communities that retirees would find attractive for aretirement lifestyle.

(3)        Assist in thedevelopment of retirement communities and continuing care facilities underArticle 64 of Chapter 58 of the General Statutes in order to promote economicdevelopment and a potential workforce to enrich North Carolina communities.

(4)        Encourage maturemarket travel and tourism to North Carolina to evaluate future retirementdesirability and to visit those who have chosen to retire in North Carolina.

(c)        Factors. – TheDepartment shall identify factors that are of interest to retirees or potentialretirees in order to inform them of the benefits of living in North Carolina.These factors shall be used to develop a scoring system to determine whether anapplicant will qualify as a North Carolina certified retirement community andmay include the following:

(1)        North Carolina'sState and local tax structure.

(2)        Housingopportunities and cost.

(3)        Climate.

(4)        Personal safety.

(5)        Workingopportunities.

(6)        Health care andcontinuing care services.

(7)        Transportation.

(8)        Continuingeducation.

(9)        Leisure living.

(10)      Recreation.

(11)      The performing arts.

(12)      Festivals and events.

(13)      Sports.

(14)      Other services andfacilities necessary to enable persons to age in the community with a minimumof restrictions.

(d)        Certification. – TheDepartment shall establish criteria for qualifying as a North Carolina certifiedretirement community. To be eligible to obtain certification as a NorthCarolina certified retirement community, the community shall meet each of thefollowing requirements:

(1)        Be located within 30miles of a hospital and of emergency medical services.

(2)        Take steps to gainthe support of churches, clubs, businesses, media, and other entities whoseparticipation will increase the Program's success in attracting retirees orpotential retirees.

(3)        Establish a retireeattraction committee. The retiree attraction committee shall fulfill or createsubcommittees to fulfill each of the following:

a.         Conduct a retireedesirability assessment analyzing the community with respect to each of thefactors identified by the Department and submit a report of the analysis to theDepartment.

b.         Send arepresentative of the retirement attraction committee to attend State trainingmeetings conducted by the 21st Century Communities program during thecertification process.

c.         Raise fundsnecessary to run the Program, organize special events, and promote andcoordinate the Program with local entities.

d.         Establish acommunity image, evaluate target markets, and develop a marketing and publicrelations plan designed to accomplish the purpose of the Program.

e.         Develop a systemthat identifies and makes contact with existing and prospective retirees, thatprovides tour guides when prospects visit the community, and that responds toinquiries, logs contacts made, invites prospects to special community events,and maintains continual contact with prospects until the prospect makes aretirement location decision.

(4)        Remit an applicationfee to the 21st Century Communities program equal to the greater of tenthousand dollars ($10,000) or the product of fifty cents (50¢) multiplied bythe population of the community, as determined by the most recent census.

(5)        Submit the completedmarketing and public relations plan designed to accomplish the purpose of theProgram to the Department.

(6)        Submit a long‑termplan outlining the steps the community will undertake to maintain or improveits desirability as a destination for retirees, including corrections to anyservices or facilities identified in the retiree desirability assessment.  (2008‑188, s. 1.)