Federal inspection record · CMS data as of October 1, 2026
Lake Balboa Care Center
16955 Vanowen Street, Van Nuys, CA · (818) 343-0700
- Certified beds
- 50
- Residents per day
- 46
- Ownership
- For-Profit
- Chain
- The Ensign Group
- Medicare / Medicaid
- Medicare + Medicaid
- Certified since
- May 1, 1972
1
How this home got 4 stars
The overall rating isn't an average. CMS starts from the inspection rating and nudges it at most two steps. Here is the arithmetic for this home, using CMS's own rules.
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Health inspections
★★★★★starting point
Everything starts from what state inspectors found on site. This is a ranking against other homes in California.
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Staffing
★★★★★no change
Only a 5-star staffing rating adds a star, and only a 1-star rating removes one. Ratings of 2 to 4 change nothing.
-
Quality measures
★★★★★+1 star
Same rule: 5 stars adds one, 1 star takes one away. These measures are mostly reported by the home itself.
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Overall
★★★★★4 of 5
Matches the rating CMS publishes on Care Compare.
2
Where it sits among California homes
Lake Balboa Care Center carries 78 inspection points. That is fewer than 56% of California's 1,154 rated homes.
Inspectors' citations earn points by how serious and how widespread they were (the grid below). CMS then ranks every home in California: the 10% with the fewest points get 5 stars, the 20% with the most get 1 star, and the middle 70% split evenly into 2, 3 and 4.
- 5★ 0–33 pts
- 4★ 33–66 pts
- 3★ 66–96 pts
- 2★ 96–146 pts
- 1★ over 146 pts
Bars show every rated home in California by its weighted inspection score. CMS recalibrates the cut points monthly but holds a home's rating until its own score changes, so a home can sit just outside today's band.
3
What inspectors found
30 health citations on record since 2024. Each one gets a letter: the row says how badly residents were affected, the column how many.
Immediate jeopardyResidents at risk of serious injury or death
Actual harmA resident was hurt
Potential for harmNo one was hurt, but could have been
Minimal harmPaperwork-level problems
Read the rows, not the total. Most citations nationwide are a D: one problem, nobody hurt. Rows G–I mean a resident was harmed; J–L mean inspectors found residents in immediate danger of serious injury or death.
Small numbers in each cell are the inspection points CMS assigns per citation. Those points are what the state curve above ranks.
No citation on record at the harm or immediate-jeopardy level.
Everything else, by area of care
Resident Rights8E
- E
Not require residents to give up Medicare or Medicaid benefits, or pay privately as a condition of admission; and must tell residents what care they do not provide.
- D
Give residents notice of Medicaid/Medicare coverage and potential liability for services not covered.
- D
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
- D
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
- D
Keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential.
- D
Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
- D
Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident.
- D
Honor the resident's right to request, refuse, and/or discontinue treatment, to participate in or refuse to participate in experimental research, and to formulate an advance directive.
Nutrition and Dietary6E
- D
Ensure food and drink is palatable, attractive, and at a safe and appetizing temperature.
- D
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- D
Dispose of garbage and refuse properly.
- E
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
- D
Ensure each resident receives and the facility provides food that accommodates resident allergies, intolerances, and preferences, as well as appealing options.
- D
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Quality of Life and Care5E
- E
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- E
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
- E
Provide enough food/fluids to maintain a resident's health.
- D
Provide safe, appropriate pain management for a resident who requires such services.
- D
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Infection Control4E
- E
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
- D
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Environmental3B
- B
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
- B
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
- B
Provide rooms that are at least 80 square feet per resident in multiple rooms and 100 square feet for single resident rooms.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning2E
- E
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- D
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Pharmacy Service2E
- E
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
- E
Provide pharmaceutical services to meet the needs of each resident and employ or obtain the services of a licensed pharmacist.
Inspection history
2026-04-12
17 health deficiencies · 2 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Nutrition and Dietary (5 deficiencies)
2025-03-30
7 health deficiencies · 3 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Infection Control (2 deficiencies)
2024-03-21
6 health deficiencies · 6 fire-safety deficiencies
Top issue: Resident Rights (3 deficiencies)
4
Nursing time per resident, per day
Each resident here gets about 5 h of nursing staff time a day, 1 h 3 min of it from a registered nurse.
This home
5 h
California average
4 h 33 min
U.S. average
3 h 54 min
- Registered nurse
- Licensed practical nurse
- Nurse aide
Turnover: 21% of nursing staff and 20% of registered nurses left in the past year.
Reported hours from payroll data the home submits to CMS, divided by its daily resident count. Not adjusted for how sick residents are.
5
Resident outcomes
Quality measures compared with state and national averages. Most come from assessments the home itself reports.
| Measure | This home | State | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of short-stay residents assessed and appropriately given the pneumococcal vaccine5.2 pts better | 99.8% | 94.6% | 82.3% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who had an outpatient emergency department visit3.9 pts better | 7.2% | 11.1% | 11.8% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who newly received an antipsychotic medication0.8 pts better | 0.5% | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were assessed and appropriately given the seasonal influenza vaccine2.6 pts better | 95.7% | 93.1% | 80.1% |
| Percentage of short-stay residents who were rehospitalized after a nursing home admission0.8 pts worse | 23.4% | 22.6% | 23.4% |
·
Who owns and runs it
13 owners and managers reported to CMS. The last column counts how many nursing homes each one is tied to.
Show ownership list
| Name | Role | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barron, Craig | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Barron, Craig | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Barron, Craig | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 1 facilities |
| Burnam, Soon | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 353 facilities |
| Ensign Services Inc | Adp Of The SNF · Organization | 0% | 299 facilities |
| Gamero, Alicia | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 4 facilities |
| Keetch, Chad | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 301 facilities |
| Port, Barry | Individual Is An Owner, Partner Or Trustee Of Any Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 203 facilities |
| Sato, Ami | Corporate Officer · Individual | 0% | 151 facilities |
| Shirazi, Keyvan | Managing Control - Governing Body · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Shirazi, Keyvan | Operational/Managerial Control · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Shirazi, Keyvan | Adp Of The SNF · Individual | 0% | 2 facilities |
| Willits, Adam | Corporate Director · Individual | 0% | 77 facilities |
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Fire safety
11 life-safety citations (sprinklers, exits, alarms). These don't count toward the star rating.
Smoke5E
- D
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
- D
Provide properly protected cooking facilities.
- E
Follow proper procedures when the fire alarm was out of service for more than 4 hours.
- D
Install an approved automatic sprinkler system.
- D
Ensure that corridors are separated from use areas by walls constructed to limit the passage of smoke.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems3D
- C
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
- D
Ensure proper usage of power strips and extension cords.
- D
Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.
Services2D
- D
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
- D
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Egress1E
- E
Install emergency lighting that can last at least 1 1/2 hours.
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Other homes nearby
-
California Healthcare And Rehabilitation Center
Van Nuys, CA · Longwood Management Corporation
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- F
- Nursing / resident / day
- 4 h 46 min
- Fines
- $0
-
Berkley Post-Acute
Van Nuys, CA · Aspen Skilled Healthcare
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- E
- Nursing / resident / day
- 4 h 14 min
- Fines
- $0
-
Terrace Post Acute
Van Nuys, CA · Windsor
★★★★★- Worst citation, 3 yrs
- G
- Nursing / resident / day
- 3 h 53 min
- Fines
- $94,094