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New York Hostels Being Shut Down by the City (May 1, 2011)

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Josh started this discussion 13 years 7 months ago

New York City is cracking down on the hostels in the City. Enforcement of the law was scheduled to go into effect on May 1st, and 15 hotels (including some hostels) were just shut down:

It isn't clear if the hostels were actually unsafe or if they just use the word "illegal" because New York City made hostels illegal:

The inspections came after a new law took affect May 1 that closed loopholes in the existing code governing short-term rentals.

The measure bans rentals that are less than 30 days and says the use of even one apartment for transients is illegal. Before, a majority of the building had to be occupied by transients in order for that to be the case.

"In the past, ambiguities in the law hindered our ability to take enforcement actions against illegal hotels," Mayor Bloomberg said.

"Now, with clear definitions and standards, we can more effectively take action against dangerous hotels."

At the New York Hostel 104, at 2027 First Avenue, at East 105th Street, inspectors found the building overcrowded, no fire director and combustible material throughout the buidling, the city said.

It could be a combination of both.

It could be that the City went after the more unsafe hostels first(?) or that they just call any hostel accommodation "unsafe" for PR purposes.

If anyone has any more information, please post it. :)

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Josh Hostels

13 years

Huffington Post did a story on this topic, with a sensational headline: Illegal Hotels In New York City Exposed (VIDEO)

The International Student Center on West 88th Street was also slapped with a partial vacate order. A worker at the hostel said she thought the company was legal. "We had a certificate that shows exactly how many people are allowed to stay in each room," said Amy Oechsle. "I feel like big hotels are trying to make all of the guests get out of the hostels and come to their big, expensive hotels."

If anyone has details on the situation, please send an email to us. All correspondence will be kept confidential unless you give me permission to post it.

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SFChris

13 years

When that New York land use attorney spoke at the Gomio conference in November, I saw him outside waiting for his car service to pick him up, and asked him if the hostels that were operating illegally had any chance of squeaking through this somehow. He said matter-of-factly, "nope, they're finished."

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gypsytraveller

13 years

As a hostel operator in NYC I'm quite familiar with the situation, and yes, we were also partially vacated, as were most hostels in NYC (except the non-profits, HI, YMCA, and few others). Sorry I didn't write sooner, but I was busy putting out the metaphorical "fires" after the shut-down and then re-grouping/trouble-shooting.

Indeed Josh, you're right... the term "illegal hostel" is a redundant one as far as NYC hostels... all hostels in NYC (except the non-profit dinosaurs, HI and YMCA) are illegal. Hostels are illegal here in all but name: the moment there is a room with more than 3 beds, that is illegal. Although the law technically forbids to have more than "3 unrelated people in a room" ... in practice the operative word "unrelated" is dropped, and if inspectors even see more than 3 beds in a room, you are presumed guilty, and the room is vacated.

I tried to organize a meeting after the major sweep-up, but only myself, Rony and 1 other operator showed up. Hard to admit it, but I think we have ourselves to blame: if operators here can't even be troubled to meet and discuss what happened (the police was exceptionally aggressive, in some cases even axing down doors that managers would have opened had they been asked, cursing out staff, moving security cameras so their actions would not be recorded, etc)... then it's not surprising that the media has painted us in a very bad light. Mainly the media only quoted the speaking points of politicians, and no mention was made of the countless backpackers that were kicked out on the street (as if the street is safer than an "illegal hostel"), with no alternative. We currently have 1 guy who spent the 1st night sleeping on the subway, b/c he could not find any hostel that he could afford... since so many were closed on the same day.

Well, there is much to say abt this, but it's late. Josh, if you want to find out more, just e-mail or call me, I'm very familiar with what happened here ... not just to us, but I've spoken and reached out to a few hostel operators directly. If nothing else, at least I've finally gotten to meet more of the ppl in the hostel business in ny, since it is a very secretive and insular group, that is afraid to peek its head out and be seen (well, with some exceptions).

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Josh Hostels

13 years

Josh, if you want to find out more, just e-mail or call me, I'm very familiar with what happened here ... not just to us, but I've spoken and reached out to a few hostel operators directly.

If the NYC hostels want to get organized and do something about it, I have some ideas. My Skype ID and phone number are here:

IMAGE(http://wiki.hostelmanagement.com/wiki/images/9/98/Hostel_Management_Contact_Info.png)

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Gunner

13 years

Does anyone have the actual piece of law for this? I'd be interested in seeing what the law was, what the "loophole" was, how they closed it, and what the text looks like now. As a hostel operator in Chicago, we're concerned that a similar law might head this direction.

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Josh Hostels

13 years

I will ask in the upcoming newsletter.

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Brownstone

13 years

Hi, I've noticed some hostels have more than 10 people one room and are not being shot down, could you comment, is there anything that they know that I don't, they are not a nonprofit organization, I'm trying to find out what exactly I need to do to keep from getting shot down,do you know of any body that knows the law. Thank you brownstone

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Chrisibm

13 years

Hi Brownstone,
I have been trying to figure out the same thing. If you get any information on the particulars of the law, could you pass it along?
Thanks,
Chris

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Brownstone

13 years

Hi,Are you opening a hostel?,Which law are you referring to.Brownstone

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Josh Hostels

13 years

Which law are you referring to.

I think the law that makes hostels illegal in NYC. (No more than 3 unrelated persons in a room, according to reports.)

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