"From a real estate perspective, these contracts are a reliable source of income for hotel owners. But from a social-welfare and public-spending perspective, this is a disaster. Hotels are built for short visits, not for boys and girls to spend their childhood. The cost to taxpayers for Russo's room is $110 a night. It would be cheaper to house families in apartments, but the article doesn't explain why that does not happen. Probably it's because motels can keep rooms available for immediate placements,"
"However, if the average stay is 1,132 days, it makes no sense to use properties designed for temporary housing. It's not disclosed why these families are not using rental vouchers, but we know that many more people are eligible for vouchers than actually receive them. The article eventually gets to the question of why the rent in Kingston is too high for working families like Russo's."
Valerie Russo and her three children have lived in a county-funded motel room for two years while she works two jobs long hours. Ulster County holds contracts with two dozen hotels and two shelters, and families average more than three years in emergency housing. County payments for motel rooms run about $110 per night, often exceeding the cost of apartments. Motels remain used because they can accept immediate placements, while apartments are not as readily available. Many eligible households do not receive rental vouchers. Area median income measures can raise affordable-rent targets above local affordability realities.
Read at therealdeal.com
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