Los Angeles voters will vote on a proposal that could force hotels to house the homeless, a policy that has many hotel owners worried about how it will affect public safety. Northeast Los Angeles Hotel Owners Association President Ray Patel joined “Fox & Friends Weekend” Sunday to discuss why the policy isn’t a long-term solution and his concern if the policy is adopted. “This is not a solution, it’s just a temporary fix,” Patel told co-host Carley Shimkus. “And during Project Roomkey, a great example, they housed homeless people in hotels – but the government never provided a definitive solution. They never provided transitional services to permanent housing and just issuing hotel vouchers which affects our hotels and marketability of these rooms for tourist pain, corporate travelers and locals is not a solution now.’ LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL APPROVES MEASURE TO BAN HOMELESS BUILDERS NEAR SCHOOLS Patel supported the COVID-era program to secure housing for the homeless, but expressed concern about how the policy will affect public safety as crime continues to spiral out of control. If approved, the voucher program would require hotels to send information about their vacant rooms for the day by 2 p.m. daily, but Patel stressed that many guests still haven’t checked in by that time. Born and raised on the streets of Los Angeles Skid Row, General Dogan walks past tents and street clothes near Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) “That makes no sense because at 2 p.m. people are just checking into hotels and asking us to combine both populations into one hotel — the paying guests and those who have hotel vouchers that would be issued by the city,” Patel said. “And our greatest concern is the safety of our visitors, our staff and also our neighbors who surround the business communities,” he continued. The homelessness crisis is a long-standing issue in Los Angeles, but it has worsened in many cities nationwide since the pandemic began. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, over 66,000 people were homeless in 2020, which was a 12% increase from 2019. “I think this is something the government should have resolved a long time ago,” Patel said. “It’s become politicized, and you’ll hear it from all the homeless advocacy groups, who are looking for housing for the homeless, as they seem to take up as an issue when politicians run for office – but there’s no solution. “ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Bailee Hill is an associate editor with Fox News Digital.
