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The state has left the operation of Country Villa Plaza and 17 other nursing homes in licensing limbo for more than five years.
A CalMatters investigation reveals an opaque licensing process for California nursing homes, rife with indecision and contradictions.
The virus swept through Country Villa Sheraton nursing home in Los Angeles in the past year, killing 24 residents. Country Villa Rehabilitation Center, also in Los Angeles, and Country Villa Plaza in Santa Ana, lost 13 residents each.
The devastation was by no means unique to this cluster of 18 Southern California-based nursing homes. Across the country, other facilities also have suffered crushing casualties from the pandemic.