Grant Warner, senior living practice leader, associate partner, BKV Group (Dallas)
Editor’s Note: This article is part of Environments for Aging’s Industry Predictions series. Throughout January, EFA will share perspectives from respected industry voices on where the sector may head in 2026 and what challenges and opportunities are on their radar.
Environments for Aging’s 2026 Senior Living Design Predictions series continues with Grant Warner, senior living practice leader, associate partner, BKV Group (Dallas).
Here, Warner discusses some of the opportunities and challenges he sees for 2026, including the potential of creative financing solutions to bring more affordable housing projects to market, risk taking in 2026, and the next generation of industry leaders.
Environments for Aging: What lessons did the industry learn from 2025’s challenges?
Warner: I think the industry started to break free from the confines of traditional project financing and embraced more creative financing solutions and creative combinations of solutions. Out of necessity, not necessarily choice, but I hope that these new ways of thinking will broaden the industry’s ability to now focus on attainable housing for middle market adults.
EFA: Where do you think the senior living industry will head in 2026?
Warner: I think some mavericks will finally take on some risk and break the log jam holding new development back.
EFA: What do you see as the biggest opportunity for change in the new year?
Warner: The biggest opportunity is for the risk takers to step up and jump start new developments again. It’s almost as if everyone is waiting on the edges of the dance floor for someone to make the first move. Then a flood of dancers will follow.
EFA: What emerging trends or opportunities are you most excited about—and why?
Warner: I’m most excited about the rising force of younger generations since they will be leading us through the most difficult years of the senior living and affordable housing crises in the coming decades.
Also, I’m excited about tackling attainable senior housing, flexibility, and resiliency.
Anne DiNardo is editor-in-chief of Environments for Aging and can be reached at [email protected].
Grant Warner Headshot: Courtesy of BKV Group
