The union representing New York City police officers has backed a controversial bill that would more strictly regulate hotels, but innkeepers say the measure would devastate the city’s lodging industry.
Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry said Bill 991, the Safe Hotels Act, would make it easier to control troubled hotels, working with the Hotel Labour Council, which represents thousands of hotel workers and is the main labour force behind the bill.
“The New York Police Department is investigating the situation at hotels and
“While motels are responsible partners in their communities, there is a small but significant number of bad actors who engage in criminal activity and other public safety risks on their premises,” Hendry wrote in an Aug. 2 letter to the bill’s sponsor, City Councilwoman Julie Mennin (D-Manhattan).
“Police officers on patrol are very familiar with such properties within their jurisdictions because they are called to those locations multiple times for a variety of issues ranging from quality of life violations to serious and violent crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and homicide,” the PBA leader said.
“These dens of crime and disorder are not only dangerous to hotel staff and law-abiding guests, but they also pose unnecessary risk to PBA members every time we respond.”
Four of the five district attorneys also support the bill.
But hotel industry leaders say crime in hotels is not a serious problem and that the issue is being used as an excuse to micromanage hotels, with one likening the law to a “nuclear bomb.”
The proposal would require hotels to reapply for business licenses every year and would ban them from subcontracting front desk, room service and maintenance services.
“New York City hotels do not pose a public safety issue. Our hotels are among the safest in the world. This bill was written to serve the private interests of a very small minority, not to protect the public safety of New Yorkers and visitors,” said Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association, in a letter to the five district attorneys, also disputed crime statistics cited by the bill’s supporters, pointing to low rates of hotel complaints in the city’s 311 system.
“Adding unnecessary regulations will only put further strain on the hotel industry and hurt our city’s economy. New York City must always work to improve its crime and law enforcement issues, but imposing new licenses on hotels will not achieve that goal,” said Kevin Carey, interim president and CEO of AHLA.
“What has worked is law enforcement working closely with the hotel industry to ensure the safety of our communities, employees and guests.”
