Ziegler Facilitates Strategic Partnership Between Kokoro Assisted Living and Northstar Senior Living

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, is pleased to announce the successful completion of a strategic engagement with Kokoro Assisted Living, a highly respected senior living community located in the heart of San Francisco's historic Japantown. Kokoro is known for its culturally sensitive care and vibrant environment that blends Japanese and American heritage through meaningful activities, celebrations, and cuisine.

In early 2025, Kokoro's Board of Directors engaged Ziegler to lead a strategic process to identify a new management partner aligned with the community's mission and cultural values. Ziegler leveraged its deep industry relationships to focus on management companies with proven experience in delivering specialized cultural care.

Following a comprehensive search and evaluation process, Ziegler facilitated a successful partnership with Northstar Senior Living, a premier senior housing management company recognized for its operational excellence and resident-centered approach. With communities across the country, Northstar brings a wealth of expertise and a strong commitment to quality care. Northstar officially assumed management responsibilities for Kokoro on September 1, 2025.

"It was a true pleasure collaborating with the Kokoro Board. Their unwavering commitment to the community was evident at every stage of the process," stated Humair Sabir, Managing Director in Ziegler Senior Housing & Care Finance Practice, who led the engagement. Humair continued, "The partnership between Kokoro and Northstar Senior Living represents a meaningful step forward for both organizations, and I'm confident the community will continue to thrive and fulfill its mission for many years to come."

"Working with Ziegler was an outstanding experience," added Rodney Chin, President of the Kokoro Board. "Their guidance, professionalism, and deep understanding of our values helped us find the right partner in Northstar. We are excited about this next chapter and confident that Kokoro will continue to flourish under Northstar's leadership."

Ziegler's Senior Housing & Care Finance Practice is dedicated to delivering best-in-class advisory and financing solutions for companies and organizations across the healthcare industry. In our core practice areas — healthcare services, information technology, hospitals, and senior living, Ziegler is one of the most active M&A firms, offering innovative sell-side, buy-side, recapitalization / restructuring, equity private placement, and strategic partnering services.

For more information about Ziegler, please visit us at www.ziegler.com.

About Ziegler:

Ziegler is a privately held, national boutique investment bank, capital markets and proprietary investments firm. It has a unique focus on healthcare, senior living and education sectors, as well as general municipal and structured finance. Headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S., Ziegler provides its clients with capital raising, strategic advisory services, fixed income sales, underwriting and trading as well as Ziegler Credit, Surveillance and Analytics. To learn more, visit www.ziegler.com.

Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This client's experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients, nor is it indicative of future performance or success. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees.

SOURCE Ziegler