(a) Where escrow accounts are required by this Article, a provider shall establish an escrow account with (i) a bank, (ii) a trust company, or (iii) another independent person or entity agreed upon by the provider and the resident, unless such account arrangement is prohibited by the Commissioner.  The terms of this escrow account shall provide that the total amount of any entrance fee, or any other fee or deposit that may be applied toward the entrance fee, received by the provider be placed in this escrow account.  These funds may be released only as follows:

(1) The first twenty-five percent (25%) of escrowed monies can be released when:  (i) the provider has presold at least fifty percent (50%) of the independent living units, having received a minimum ten percent (10%) deposit on the presold units; (ii) the provider has received a commitment for any permanent mortgage loan or other long-term financing, and any conditions of the commitment prior to disbursement of funds thereunder have been substantially satisfied; and (iii) aggregate entrance fees received or receivable by the provider pursuant to binding continuing care contracts, plus the anticipated proceeds of any first mortgage loan or other long-term financing commitment are equal to not less than ninety percent (90%) of the aggregate cost of constructing or purchasing, equipping, and furnishing the facility plus not less than ninety percent (90%) of the funds estimated in the statement of cash flows submitted by the provider as that part of the disclosure statement required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-64-20, to be necessary to fund start-up losses and assure full performance of the obligations of the provider pursuant to continuing care contracts.

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(2) The remaining seventy-five percent (75%) of escrowed monies can be released when:

a. (i) the provider has presold a minimum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the independent living units, having received a minimum ten percent (10%) deposit on the presold units, or has maintained an independent living unit occupancy minimum of seventy-five percent (75%) for at least 60 days; (ii) construction or purchase of the independent living unit has been completed and an occupancy permit, if applicable, has been issued by the local government having authority to issue such permits; and (iii) the living unit becomes available for occupancy by the new resident; or

b. the provider submits a plan of reorganization that is accepted and approved by the Commissioner.

(b) Upon receipt by the escrow agent of a request by the provider for the release of these escrow funds, the escrow agent shall approve release of the funds within five working days unless the escrow agent finds that the requirements of subsection (a) of this section have not been met and notifies the provider of the basis for this finding.  The request for release of the escrow funds shall be accompanied by any documentation the fiduciary requires.

(b1) Release of any escrowed funds that may be due to the subscriber or resident shall occur upon: five working days’ notice of death, nonacceptance by the facility, or voluntary cancellation.  If voluntary cancellation occurs after construction has begun, the refund may be delayed until a new subscriber is obtained for that specific unit, provided it does not exceed a period of two years.

(c) If the provider fails to meet the requirements for release of funds held in this escrow account within a time period the escrow agent considers reasonable, these funds shall be returned by the escrow agent to the persons who have made payment to the provider.  The escrow agent shall notify the provider of the length of this time period when the provider requests release of the funds.

(d) Facilities that currently meet the seventy-five percent (75%) presales or the seventy-five percent (75%) occupancy requirements, as outlined in subdivision (a)(2) of this section, are not required to escrow entrance fees, unless otherwise required by the Commissioner. (1989, c. 758, s. 1; 1991, c. 196, s. 6, c. 720, s. 8, c. 761, ss. 11, 12.)