Los Angeles to Drop Ballot Measure That Would Require Hotels to House Homeless

Key Points

• Los Angeles' city council and a hotel workers' union reached a compromise on a controversial plan to house the homeless in vacant hotel rooms, avoiding a ballot measure.
• The hotel industry strongly opposed the mandate, citing concerns over fairness and potential damage, as evidenced by past experiences like Project Roomkey.
• The compromise involves new regulations linking hotel development with residential housing, which the union sees as a victory for housing and living wage issues.

Summary

Los Angeles' city council and a hotel workers' union reached a political compromise to avoid a controversial ballot measure that would have required hotels to house the homeless in vacant rooms. The hotel industry opposed the mandate due to concerns over fairness and potential property damage, citing past experiences like Project Roomkey. The compromise includes new regulations connecting hotel development with residential housing, which the union views as a win for housing and living wage issues.