New Middle-Market Senior Living Concept Aims to Build Intentional Communities

Cozy Home Community founder Matt Thornhill discusses plans for affordable, community-focused senior living

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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As the population of older adults grows, so does their desire to 'age in place,' creating an issue for traditional senior living. But Cozy Home Community founder Matt Thornhill has developed a new middle-market senior living concept that aims to address this by creating intentional communities with small rental homes centered around a shared community building to encourage interaction and a sense of purpose among residents.

Why it matters

Thornhill's Cozy Home concept is designed to provide an affordable senior living option for middle-income older adults who may not be able to afford private-pay senior living. By creating a community-focused model with shared responsibilities, Cozy Home aims to help seniors 'age in place' while maintaining their independence and sense of community.

The details

Cozy Home is about to break ground on its first community in Slippery Rock, PA, which will feature 48 individual 1,200-square-foot rental homes centered around a 155-square-foot common building. Residents will have access to university amenities through a partnership with Slippery Rock University, and Presbyterian Senior Care will serve as the property manager. Cozy Home is targeting a monthly rental cost of $2,000 plus a $250 community fee, achieved through partnerships with nonprofit organizations that can provide the land. Thornhill says Cozy Home has projects in various stages of development across several states.

  • Cozy Home is about to break ground on its first community in Slippery Rock, PA.
  • The Slippery Rock community will feature 48 individual rental homes and is expected to launch in the coming months.

The players

Matt Thornhill

Founder and CEO of Cozy Home Community, a new middle-market senior living concept aimed at creating affordable, community-focused housing for older adults.

Presbyterian Senior Care

The senior living operator that will serve as the property manager for the first Cozy Home Community in Slippery Rock, PA.

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

The university that will partner with the Cozy Home Community in Slippery Rock, allowing residents access to university amenities and potentially hosting graduate students in the community.

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What they’re saying

“We've got a product people are putting off moving into because they don't want to until there's a need. There's this reality in the sector that we've got a product that's not a desire — it's a need.”

— Matt Thornhill, Founder and CEO, Cozy Home Community (mcknightsseniorliving.com)

“The Cozy Home idea is rooted around creating small homes — not selling your house to go live in an apartment or condo. Building small homes in clustered neighborhoods is a tool to help neighbors get to know each other.”

— Matt Thornhill, Founder and CEO, Cozy Home Community (mcknightsseniorliving.com)

What’s next

Cozy Home is expected to break ground on its first community in Slippery Rock, PA in the coming months, with plans to expand to additional locations across several states.

The takeaway

Cozy Home's middle-market senior living concept aims to provide an affordable, community-focused housing option for older adults who want to 'age in place' while maintaining their independence. By creating intentional communities with shared responsibilities, Cozy Home hopes to address the growing need for senior living options that meet the desires of the aging population.