Retirement Living Associates

A Development and Management Firm Serving Florida and North Carolina Since 1990

Retirement Living Associates, Inc. (RLA) is a senior living development, marketing, and management firm headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, founded in 1990 by David Ammons. RLA provides consulting, development, and management services for retirement communities, currently including 2 Life Plan Communities in North Carolina (Springmoor and SearStone), 3 assisted living and memory care communities in Florida (Twin Creeks, Plantation Oaks, and Vintage Care of Palatka), and Legacy at Mills River, a Life Plan Community under development in North Carolina, together matching Senior Care Finder's count of 6 communities. RLA offers active adult living, independent living, assisted living, memory care, adult day services, respite care, and Life Plan Community/CCRC living, with services varying by community.

Visit the official Retirement Living Associates website, or explore Retirement Living Associates communities on Senior Care Finder to compare current listings.

Company at a Glance

●       Headquarters: Raleigh, North Carolina

●       Founded: 1990, by David Ammons, while he was serving as Associate Executive Director at Springmoor, a Continuing Care Retirement Community in Raleigh

●       Current leadership: David W. Ammons, Owner and Principal (also serving part-time as CEO of Springmoor); Brandon Hair, Vice President of Management/Operations

●       Portfolio size: 6 communities, matching Senior Care Finder's directory: 2 North Carolina Life Plan Communities (Springmoor and SearStone), 3 Florida assisted living/memory care communities (Twin Creeks, Plantation Oaks, and Vintage Care of Palatka), and Legacy at Mills River, a North Carolina Life Plan Community currently under development

●       States served: Florida and North Carolina

●       Care and lifestyle options: Active adult living, independent living, assisted living, memory care, adult day services, respite care, and Life Plan Community/CCRC living, with services varying by community

●       Official website: rlainc.com

Senior Living and Care Options

RLA's portfolio spans two distinct community types, though not every community offers every service:

●       Independent living

●       Assisted living

●       Memory care

●       Adult day services

●       Respite care

●       Life Plan Community/CCRC living

Springmoor and SearStone, both in the Raleigh/Cary, North Carolina area, operate as full Life Plan Communities (CCRCs) combining independent living with on-site health services. Twin Creeks, Plantation Oaks, and Vintage Care of Palatka, all in Florida, focus specifically on assisted living and memory care. Legacy at Mills River, currently under development near Asheville, North Carolina, is planned as a Life Plan Community with a homeownership model, discussed further below. Families should confirm current care levels and availability directly on the Senior Care Finder listing for the specific community they are considering.

What Makes Retirement Living Associates Different?

A Development and Management Consultancy, Not Just an Operator

Rather than functioning only as a community operator, RLA describes itself as providing a full range of services from consulting engagement to hands-on management, spanning architectural planning, financial oversight, community programming, development, and marketing. This consulting-and-management model is a differentiator from operators that only manage properties they already own.

Founder-Led Since 1990, With Deep Ties to Its Flagship Community

David Ammons founded RLA in 1990 while working as Associate Executive Director at Springmoor, and he continues to serve part-time as Springmoor's CEO in addition to his role as RLA's Owner and Principal. This long, personal connection between RLA's founder and its original client community is a differentiator reflecting decades of continuity.

A New Homeownership Model for Life Plan Communities

Legacy at Mills River, RLA's newest development near Asheville, North Carolina, is designed around a homeownership model in which residents can own their units outright and pass them on to family members, rather than the more typical CCRC arrangement in which residents pay monthly fees without building equity. Owner and Principal David Ammons has described this as an effort to reach younger older adults who want the independence of homeownership alongside CCRC-style services.

A Transparent, Documented Project History

RLA's own company history explicitly documents both its current relationships and those that have ended, including several communities the company developed, managed, and later sold, such as Mars Hill Retirement Community (1999-2022) and Ardenwoods (2016-2023). This candor about concluded engagements, rather than presenting only current relationships, is a differentiator reflecting a long and evolving track record.

Internally Promoted, Senior-Living-Experienced Leadership

Vice President of Management/Operations Brandon Hair joined RLA in 2024 after serving as Executive Director at Springmoor for 9 years and at two South Carolina communities for an additional 9 years, reflecting the company's pattern of promoting from within its own network of communities into corporate leadership roles.

Signature Programs and Services

Legacy at Mills River's homeownership model allows residents to purchase and own their units outright, starting at a stated price point, while still accessing the services and continuum of care typically associated with a Life Plan Community, a structure the company positions as different from most CCRCs in the region.

Life at a Retirement Living Associates Community

Life at a Springmoor or SearStone Life Plan Community may include independent living apartments, dining programs, wellness activities, and access to on-site health services as needs change. Life at Twin Creeks, Plantation Oaks, or Vintage Care of Palatka may include assisted living or memory care apartments with 24-hour support and structured activities. Specific amenities vary significantly between RLA's Life Plan Communities and its assisted living/memory care communities.

Families evaluating any RLA-managed community should ask specifically about current staffing levels, whether the community operates as a full Life Plan Community or focuses on assisted living/memory care specifically, and, for Legacy at Mills River, the specific terms of the homeownership and equity model before making a financial commitment.

What Residents and Families Say

Retirement Living Associates does not publish a single portfolio-wide review rating, and Senior Care Finder's own listings show ratings that vary by individual community, generally in the 4.2 to 4.6 range among the Premium listings reviewed during this research. Recurring themes in publicly available feedback include a home-like atmosphere and attentive staff, though experience can vary by community and time period. Families are encouraged to review recent, community-specific feedback for the location they are considering.

Leadership

David W. Ammons is Owner and Principal of Retirement Living Associates. He founded the company in 1990 and continues to serve part-time as CEO of Springmoor, the Raleigh Life Plan Community where his senior living career began. Brandon Hair serves as Vice President of Management/Operations, having joined RLA in 2024 after 18 years of combined experience as an Executive Director at Springmoor and at two South Carolina communities.

Visit the official Retirement Living Associates team page for the complete and most current team.

Recent News, Growth, and Recognition

Senior Housing News Covers RLA's Growth and New Equity Model

In July 2025, Senior Housing News reported on Retirement Living Associates' approach to growth, describing the company's new homeownership/equity model at Legacy at Mills River and quoting Owner and Principal David Ammons on the company's plans to reach a different segment of prospective residents through this model.

Read independent coverage from Senior Housing News.

Legacy at Mills River Breaks Ground on $255 Million Retirement Community

In June 2025, Legacy at Mills River broke ground on its $255 million retirement community near Asheville, North Carolina, co-developed by RLA and Liberty Senior Living, a Wilmington, North Carolina-based senior housing operator. David Ammons, President of RLA and a principal developer, described the project as offering the region's only retirement community combining homeownership with access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing.

Read independent coverage from WNC Business.

Diana Matthews Promoted to Executive Director at Vintage Care of Palatka

In August 2025, RLA announced that Diana Matthews, formerly Director of Nursing at Vintage Care of Palatka, was promoted to Executive Director of the Florida community, which RLA acquired in November 2022.

Read the company announcement.

Springmoor Releases 2024 Annual Report Celebrating 40 Years of Service

In August 2025, Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community released its 2024 Annual Report, themed "Celebrating 40 Years of Service," reflecting on the community's history since it opened in 1984, the same community where RLA founder David Ammons began his senior living career.

Read the company announcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Retirement Living Associates? Retirement Living Associates (RLA) is a senior living development, marketing, and management firm headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, founded in 1990, currently overseeing 6 communities across Florida and North Carolina.

Where is Retirement Living Associates headquartered? Retirement Living Associates is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Who owns Retirement Living Associates? Retirement Living Associates is privately owned by David W. Ammons, who founded the company in 1990 and serves as Owner and Principal.

How many communities does Retirement Living Associates operate? RLA's portfolio includes 6 communities matching Senior Care Finder's directory: 2 Life Plan Communities in North Carolina, 3 assisted living/memory care communities in Florida, and one Life Plan Community currently under development in North Carolina.

What care options does Retirement Living Associates offer? Depending on the community, RLA offers active adult living, independent living, assisted living, memory care, adult day services, respite care, and Life Plan Community/CCRC living.

Does Retirement Living Associates own the communities it manages? It varies. RLA provides services ranging from consulting to full ownership and management, and its role differs by community and has changed over time for some communities.

What is Legacy at Mills River? Legacy at Mills River is a Life Plan Community under development near Asheville, North Carolina, co-developed by RLA and Liberty Senior Living, notable for offering a homeownership/equity model rather than a typical monthly-fee-only CCRC structure.

What do reviews say about Retirement Living Associates communities? Recurring themes include a home-like atmosphere and attentive staff, though experience can vary by community. Families should review recent, community-specific feedback for the location they are considering.

How much does an RLA community cost? Pricing varies significantly by community and community type; Legacy at Mills River's ownership model, for example, has a different cost structure than a typical rental-based assisted living community. Families should contact the specific community directly for current pricing.

How can families find a Retirement Living Associates community? Families can browse RLA communities through Senior Care Finder's listings or through the company's own website.

Explore Retirement Living Associates Communities

Comparing individual RLA communities is especially useful given the range between full Life Plan Communities and assisted living/memory care-focused communities in the portfolio. Explore Retirement Living Associates communities on Senior Care Finder for current listings, ratings, and details for locations near you.

Services, pricing, availability, and resident experience can vary meaningfully from one Retirement Living Associates community to the next.

Retirement Living Associates is a paid Senior Care Finder partner. Partner status does not replace the need for families to independently evaluate individual communities, services, pricing, licensing information, and recent reviews.

Company information, leadership details, programs, recognition, and news were reviewed using publicly available sources. Information last reviewed July 2026.