Back in August we warned of the dangers inherent in a ballot proposal scheduled for 2024 that would force hotel owners to house the homeless right beside their high-powered executive guests.
This is a remarkably stupid idea, even for California.
The new edict would work this way, "hotels would need to notify the city of what rooms are still available by 2 p.m. each afternoon. The establishments would then be required to take in a homeless individual in exchange for a fair-market voucher from the city."
This is the brainchild of UNITE HERE Local 11.
The union allegedly represents hotel and restaurant workers, but we’re guessing no one in the executive offices checked with rank-and-file housekeepers before starting the petition drive.
The chance of a homeless person leaving a tip for housekeeping is less than nil and we won’t begin to explore what the homeless hotel guest may leave in the room to be cleaned up after they’re gone.
Another reason we don’t think the union bigwigs checked with the membership is that most hotels let people check in hours after 2pm.
Hotels are either going to have to assume everyone with a reservation will eventually check in or be prepared to deal with discord when a Diamond member finds out his room is occupied by one man and seven personalities.
Now we know exactly how this homeless-placed-in-hotels will work in practice thanks to an incident in the formerly first world state of New York.
The New York Post tells us Paul Kutz, a 53-year-old CPA from Long Island, was visiting his son at Marist College during Family Weekend and staying in a Courtyard by Marriott in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Courtyard by Marriott hotels are considered moderately upscale establishments where the guests understand and abide by cultural norms. But this is in New York where evidently, it’s every man for himself.
Kurz was preparing to check out and went down to the lobby for a cup of coffee when a pair of homeless men staying at the hotel got into a typical unjustified homeless dispute with hotel staff.
Instead of discussing the problem, the duo fired 30 rounds from a pistol modified for fully automatic fire. The visiting father was hit and killed by one of the stray rounds from the fusillade.
After the two homeless, but not hotel-less were arrested, drugs, explosive materials, a flash-bang grenade, "ghost guns" and PCP were found in their room.
A somewhat different inventory than the contents of the usual CPA’s hotel room.
We don’t know if the career criminal duo were placed in the hotel by "compassionate" government workers, but the fact their room was booked by "a third party" makes us suspicious.
What we do know is that mixing homeless people with law-abiding citizens is like mixing gasoline with a match. Paying hotel guests should be informed ahead of time — at a minimum — that they may be sharing a floor with recent residents of a tent condominium.
Our conclusion from August remains unchanged.
If this imbecilic proposal passes it will be a gift to the owners of bed and breakfast operations and Airbnb proprietors.
They'll be able to advertise: "Guaranteed — No Homeless in the Room Next Door!" That’s an unbeatable sales point for females traveling solo and families of all kinds.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker's bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.