Only in Los Angeles or Southern California can you hear of something so ridiculous, so disconcerting, so outlandishly stupid that even though every fiber of your being believes it can’t be true, you know that it probably is.  Last week, California politicians proposed an ordinance that, if enacted, will create chaos and be the tipping point for many to say they have had enough and leave the city permanently. 

The Los Angeles city council proposed an initiative called the “Responsible Hotel Ordinance,” which will appear on voter’s ballots in 2024. If passed, it would require Los Angeles hotels to rent vacant rooms to homeless people through a voucher program. 

According to a story in Insider, hotel industry workers had a chance to voice their opinions at a city council meeting, and many shared their thoughts that most people with a shred of common sense have; there’s no way this could work, and it could be incredibly dangerous. 

The Insider quoted an owner of a Hampton Inn saying his employees are “absolutely scared and fear not just for their lives and their safety, but also for how we are treating the homeless and unsheltered. There has to be a more humane way to take care of this problem,” he continued. “My staff is here with me today … this is no joke to them. If this passes, they will look for other opportunities.”

The night auditor at the Beverly Hills Marriott said he experienced homelessness himself a decade ago, and this is not the way to help combat the epidemic in LA. 

“With all the drugs, all the fighting … we did not have the support in order to make it a successful program there. Without having a clearly defined support from policing and mental services, there’s no way that I think that this is something that we should be able to do.”

Hotel owners could find themselves unable to secure insurance coverage if this law passed. It would put many hotels out of business.

Add comment