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                                                                      EXHIBIT 99

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

        Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. Enters Discussions with Debenture Holders
and Major Lessors; Plans to Defer May 1 Interest Payment on Debentures


PORTLAND, OR, APRIL 26, 2001 - Assisted Living Concepts, Inc. (AMEX: ALF), a
national provider of assisted living services ("ALC" or the "Company"),
announced today that an unofficial committee (the "Committee") of certain
holders of its two series of convertible subordinated debentures (collectively,
the "Debentures") has been formed. A total of approximately $162 million
aggregate principal amount of Debentures are outstanding, with maturities of
November 1, 2002 and May 1, 2003.

The Committee has hired, at the Company's expense, Chanin Capital Partners
("Chanin") as financial advisor and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP as legal
counsel. The Company and its financial advisor, Jefferies & Company, Inc.
("Jefferies"), have commenced negotiations with Chanin concerning a
restructuring of the Company's Debentures. The Company is also in negotiations
with the lessors of certain of the Company's under-performing leases. Because
the discussions are still in an early stage, the Company cannot predict whether
they will lead to a mutually satisfactory restructuring of the Company's
obligations. However, any such restructuring plan is likely to result in a
significant reduction in principal amount of the Company's outstanding
Debentures and a very substantial dilution of the Company's outstanding equity.

The Company also announced that it plans to defer, for 30 days, $4.7 million of
interest payments due May 1, 2001 on the Debentures. If the Company does not
make these payments by May 31, 2001, the holders of the Debentures would have
the right to declare a default and accelerate the full repayment of those
Debentures, which in turn would cause a breach of certain of the Company's other
material obligations.

        This press release and statements made by or on behalf of Assisted
Living Concepts relating hereto may be deemed to constitute forward-looking
statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be affected
by risks and uncertainties, including: the willingness of the members of the
Committee to agree to, and the willingness of the holders of a sufficient amount
of the Debentures to agree to, any such restructuring of the Debentures; the
willingness of the lessors under its underperforming leases to agree to the
restructuring of such leases; prevailing and perceived economic conditions, both
in general and with respect to the assisted living industry; factors that could
affect the Company's performance, such as competition or regulatory
restrictions; and other risks described in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange

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Commission. The inability of the Company to restructure its obligations (or any
significant delay in effecting such restructuring) could have a material adverse
affect upon the Company. The Company does not undertake any obligation to
publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained
herein to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Wm. James Nicol, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
(503) 252-6233

Drew Q. Miller, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
(503) 408-5293