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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000908737-08-000031.txt : 20080324
<SEC-HEADER>0000908737-08-000031.hdr.sgml : 20080324
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080125164222
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000908737-08-000031
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080125

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SENIOR HOUSING PROPERTIES TRUST
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001075415
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		IRS NUMBER:				043445278
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		400 CENTRE STREET
		CITY:			NEWTON
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			02458
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6173323990
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
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    <title>snh_corresp.htm</title>
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    <div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>Senior
        Housing Properties Trust</strong></font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>400
        Centre Street</strong></font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman;"><strong>Newton,
        MA&#160;&#160;02458</strong></font></div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">January
      25, 2008</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><em>VIA
      FAX AND EDGAR</em></strong></font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Mr.
      Daniel Gordon</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Branch
      Chief</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">United
      States Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Division
      of Corporation Finance</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">100
      F Street, N.E.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Washington,
      D.C. 20549</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div align="left">
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">

          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="5%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman;">&#160;</font></td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="5%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, serif;">RE:</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="90%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, serif;">Senior
                Housing Properties Trust (the &#8220;Company&#8221;)</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, serif;">Form
                10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, serif;">Filed
                February 28, 2007 (the &#8220;Filing&#8221;)</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, serif;">File
                No. 001-15319</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

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    </div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Dear
      Mr. Gordon:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">We
      are writing in response to your letter dated January 11, 2008.&#160;&#160;For
      your convenience, your original comment appears below in bold text and is
      followed by our response.</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><em>10-K
      for the year ended December 31, 2006</em></strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><u>Consolidated
      Statement of Income, page F-5</u></strong></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
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          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 36pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>1.</strong></font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;"><strong>We
                note your response to comment 2.&#160;&#160;Please additionally tell us
                what consideration you gave to presenting the properties sold as
                discontinued operations pursuant to paragraphs 41-44 of SFAS 144
                since it
                appears that these properties may have been
                components.</strong></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">We
      derive our revenues principally from rentals received pursuant to long term
      triple net leases of groups of multiple properties to tenants.&#160;&#160;During
      2006, we sold three properties and reported a loss on the sale of the
      properties.&#160;&#160;The properties sold, which were three properties in a
      group of 117 properties subject to a single lease with a tenant, do not
      constitute a component of our business as defined in paragraph 41 of SFAS 144
      because the cash flows of the three properties could not be clearly
      distinguished, operationally and for financial reporting purposes. Our cash
      flows and operations derive from the fixed rent paid by the tenant pursuant
      to
      the lease.&#160;&#160;Accordingly, we have no discontinued operations pursuant
      to paragraph 41 of SFAS 144 as a result of the disposition of these three
      properties.</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">***********************************************************************</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center">-2-</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">We
      acknowledge that:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 54pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt;" face="Symbol, serif">&#183;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">the
                Company is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure
                in
                the Filing;</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 54pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt;" face="Symbol, serif">&#183;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">staff
                comments or changes to disclosure in response to staff comments do
                not
                foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the
                Filing; and</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">

          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 54pt">
              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt;" face="Symbol, serif">&#183;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">the
                Company may not assert staff comments as a defense in any proceeding
                initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities
                laws of the United States.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>

      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">We
      appreciate your comments and welcome the opportunity to discuss with you our
      response provided above.&#160;&#160;Please call me at (617) 219-1405 if you have
      any questions or require additional information.</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Sincerely,</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">SENIOR
      HOUSING PROPERTIES TRUST</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">By:
      <u>/s/ Richard A. Doyle Jr.</u></font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Richard
      A. Doyle Jr.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Treasurer
      &amp; Chief Financial Officer</font></div>
    <div><br></div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div>&#160;</div>
    <div>
      <div>
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            <tr valign="top">
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                <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">cc:</font></div>
              </td>
              <td>
                <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Jessica
                  Barberich</font></div>
                <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">Staff
                  Accountant</font></div>
                <div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman, serif;">United
                  States Securities and Exchange
                  Commission</font></div>
              </td>
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