In 2025, U.S. healthcare systems and providers face mounting pressures from tight operating margins, labor shortages, and fluctuating material costs. Yet stabilization in interest rates, increased M&A activity, and accelerated integration of AI and digital health solutions provide avenues for growth and resilience.

Challenges

1. Workforce Shortages

• Since late‑2021, healthcare employment grew by nearly 2 million, surpassing pandemic‑era losses.

• Registered nurses (RNs) are projected to grow 6% by 2033, but faculty and infrastructure constraints have caused over 65,000 qualified nursing applicants to be turned away in 2023, leading to an estimated 63,000‑RN shortfall by 2030.

• Physician shortages loom: the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) forecasts a deficit of 86,000 by 2036, prompted by an aging medical workforce and declining med school applicants—the lowest since 2017–18.

2. Rising Labor Costs

• Increased demand and workforce scarcity are pushing compensation upward. Low unemployment in healthcare intensifies competition, hampering expansion and new clinic launches.

3. Construction Material Volatility

• Material shortages have inflated costs in recent years. New tariffs on steel, lumber, and aluminum announced in early 2025 threaten further disruption.

• Developers are pre‑purchasing materials to hedge against rising prices.

4. Federal Budget Headwinds

• Proposed budget cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services could reduce funding for scientific research, Medicare, and Medicaid, though policy changes remain in flux pending legal review.

Why Medical Office Buildings are Attracting Investors

Medical office buildings (MOBs) continue to outperform traditional office assets, buoyed by consistent demand and strong demographics

• Low Vacancy & Rental Growth: MOBs exhibit significantly lower vacancy rates than general office markets, which have seen a 500 bps rise over four years

• Robust Ambulatory Growth: Ambulatory healthcare employment has soared nearly 4% annually—outpacing traditional office sectors by a wide margin

• Aging Demographics: The expanding Baby Boomer population is fueling demand for outpatient care, diagnostics, behavioral health, and specialty services

2025 U.S. Medical Office Marketplace Outlook

1. Supply & Demand Dynamics

• 2024 saw medical office demand exceed supply, although developers were hindered by high borrowing and construction costs

• With interest rates settling at a new “normal,” investor confidence is rebounding, driving acquisition activity

2. Investment Confidence & Limited Opportunities

• Renewed investor interest reflects market belief in the sector’s resilience. However, limited new development due to persistently high costs is placing upward pressure on existing assets

3. Persistent Material Price Risks

• Ongoing inflation and potential protectionist tariffs threaten to increase development costs—potentially curbing new projects .

4. Strategic Shift Toward Outpatient & Off-Campus Facilities

• Hospitals and health systems are increasingly converting underutilized spaces to outpatient care facilities, including freestanding EDs and physician hubs, often in suburban or retail-converted locations

• This trend appeals to consumer preferences for convenience and cost efficiency in healthcare delivery.

Implications for Beverly Hills Medical Space

High Demand + Limited Supply = Premium Leasing
Expect tight vacancy and escalating rents, consistent with national trends. Investors will seek out well-located, modern facilities.

Location Strategy is Critical
Suburban areas around Beverly Hills, especially near established hospitals and affluent communities, are prime candidates for outpatient expansions and retail-to-healthcare conversions.

Cost Containment is Key for Developers
Mitigating material and labor inflation through per-purchasing and supply chain management will be essential. Partnering with larger systems could offset scale limitations.

Technology Drives Allocation
AI-based diagnostic tools, telehealth, and remote patient monitoring can reduce space needs and drive demand for flexible, tech-enabled space configurations.

Regulatory & Funding Vigilance
Federal policy developments may prompt operators to explore alternative revenue streams—from outpatient centers to home-health partnerships—in anticipation of reduced federal support.

Final Takeaways

• Medical office real estate remains one of the most stable and desirable CRE sectors, benefiting from aging demographics, tech integration, and investor confidence.

• Beverly Hills is well-positioned to capitalize via targeted off-campus development, tenant partnerships, and flexible facility design.

• Success hinges on managing costs, deep market intelligence, and embracing tech-forward service delivery.

The Beverly Hills life sciences sector is standing out as a bright spot in a challenging national market. In 2024, tight supply and robust tenant demand have driven rental growth in the region, bucking the downward trend seen in other major U.S. life science clusters.

Market Performance Overview

According to JLL’s Life Sciences Real Estate Perspective and Cluster Analysis report, rents in the Beverly Hills markets grew by 6% in the first half of 2024. This performance contrasts sharply with the national landscape, where rents have declined by 9%, led by downturns in established hubs like Boston (-8.2%), San Diego (-4.7%), and San Francisco (-1.9%).

Patrick Church, managing director of JLL and head of the Beverly Hills life sciences practice group, attributes this growth to a significant supply-demand imbalance. “Other markets have had their challenges. We’re the exact opposite because we have a significant supply imbalance. We’re working to bring developers into the city to address this gap,” Church said.

Supply and Demand Dynamics

The greater Beverly Hills region, including Orange County, has an availability rate of just 3% for life sciences space, equating to approximately 306,000 square feet. This is a stark contrast to availability rates exceeding 30% in Boston and San Francisco and 26% in San Diego.

Tenant demand remains high in Beverly Hills, with over 1 million square feet of active requirements from life science firms. Smaller firms, seeking spaces between 5,000 and 15,000 square feet, are particularly driving this demand.

Despite national headwinds such as reduced venture funding and higher interest rates, the Beverly Hills market has demonstrated resilience. While tenants returned 158,000 square feet more than they leased in the first half of 2024, the region still recorded 300,000 square feet of leasing activity during this period.

Lack of New Construction

Beverly Hills currently have 12 million square feet of life sciences inventory, with no new construction underway. In comparison, Boston’s 49.5 million square feet represents six times its current demand, underscoring the supply pressure in Beverly Hills.

One notable project on the horizon is UCLA’s conversion of the former Westside Pavilion mall into a 700,000-square-foot research hub. Scheduled to open in 2027, the facility will house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, further enhancing the region’s research capabilities.

National Trends and Industry Insights

Across the U.S., life sciences landlords are grappling with elevated vacancy rates due to slowing demand, high interest rates, and a shift in research funding priorities post-pandemic. Availability rates have soared to 24% in San Francisco, 27% in Boston, and 17% in San Diego.

Landlords like Alexandria Real Estate Equities are responding by pivoting toward modern, amenity-rich campuses to attract tenants. These properties, which account for 70% of Alexandria’s annual rental revenue, are increasingly favored by life sciences firms.

Despite these challenges, the life sciences sector is poised for long-term growth. FDA approvals reached an all-time high last year, and biotechnology patent innovation increased by 22% compared to a decade ago. JLL predicts that potential interest rate reductions and increasing venture capital investments will bolster the market heading into 2025.

Conclusion

The Beverly Hills life sciences market is defying national trends by capitalizing on tight supply, high demand, and strategic tenant engagement. While other markets contend with oversupply and falling rents, Beverly Hills is leveraging its unique advantages to maintain growth and position itself as a key player in the life sciences landscape. As the region addresses its supply constraints, its prominence in the industry is likely to strengthen further.