Unite Right here ought to drop its harmful demand to show motels into homeless shelters – in LA or another metropolis the place they could attempt it.

Los Angeles residents are set to vote in March 2024 on whether or not to require all native motels to deal with homeless people subsequent to paying company as a part of a poll initiative proposed by Unite Right here – a labor union that represents LA-area resort employees. The problem is headed to the poll following a unanimous metropolis council vote in opposition to the measure final 12 months.

In line with a current survey, commissioned by the American Lodge & Lodging Affiliation (AHLA) and performed July 25-30, 98% of 500 Los Angeles residents surveyed mentioned homelessness within the metropolis is a disaster or a serious drawback, however regardless of that, 86% mentioned LA mustn’t prioritize housing individuals experiencing homelessness in motels.

In line with giant majorities of Angelenos surveyed, housing homeless individuals in motels subsequent to paying company would unfairly burden resort employees (81%), devastate the town’s tourism business (70%), and create an unsafe workspace for resort employees (69%).

Unite Right here’s insistence on housing individuals experiencing homelessness in motels, subsequent to paying company, has develop into a focus in its collective bargaining negotiations with LA-area motels, with the union demanding that motels help the controversial observe.

Different key survey findings embrace:

• 71% say LA can’t afford to implement a coverage that might permit individuals experiencing homelessness to test into any resort with vacant rooms for an evening and be side-by-side in elevators, hallways, and eating services with paying company.

• 66% say housing unhoused people in vacant resort rooms alongside paying company will result in a pointy decline in resort tax income and end in large cuts to important metropolis companies like public security and training.

• 59% can be much less prone to go to a metropolis and keep in one among its motels in the event that they knew the town required all motels to deal with individuals experiencing homelessness subsequent to paying company.

“Undermining the security and well-being of resort workers is unfathomable, however that’s precisely what Unite Right here is making an attempt to do,” mentioned AHLA President & CEO.

“Unite Right here is combating to fill all LA-area motels with the identical sorts of actions you see on Skid Row. In the event that they succeed, they’ll jeopardize the security of each resort company and employees, nearly destroy the town’s tourism business, and trigger large job losses. Inns are laser targeted on worker security and Unite Right here ought to be too. That’s why we’re calling on Unite Right here to drop its harmful demand to show motels into homeless shelters – in LA or another metropolis the place they could attempt it.”