Several City Council members are pushing to legalize youth hostels in New York City, five years after a citywide crackdown wiped them out.
In 2010, the state legislature passed the "Illegal Hotels Bill" that outlawed using residential units as hotel rooms, shutting down virtually the entire hostel industry in New York. Fifty-five hostels across the city were shuttered for either violating zoning laws or operating under conditions that the city deemed dangerous.
Former City Council member Mark Weprin introduced a bill in February to regulate hostels, allowing them to open and operate in commercial zones. After Weprin resigned in June to work for Gov. Andrew Cuomo the bill was taken up by Council Member Margaret Chin.
Like Weprin, Chin also claimed that the city lost millions in revenue over the past few years because many young travelers can't find affordable accommodations and skip the city.
"What we're doing is resolving this unintended consequence in legislation that would allow hostels to operate in a reasonable manner and take advantage of this pool of global tourism," said Paul Leonard, a spokesman for Chin, a Democrat who represents lower Manhattan. A spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the administration is reviewing the legislation and has no official position yet.
Other sponsors of the bill are council members David Greenfield, Jumaane Williams, Rafael Espinal Jr. and Karen Koslowitz.
About five hostels currently operate in the city but they categorize themselves as hotels on the city's books while advertising as hostels or offer "hostel-like" amenities, with the exception of the nonprofit organization Hostelling International that received a special permit by the city in 1989 to operate as a hostel.
If there are hostels operating legally in NYC, then why do we need new laws to make them more available? There is already a pathway to operation.
21 comments:
"Like Weprin, Chin also claimed that the city lost millions in revenue over the past few years because many young travelers can't find affordable accommodations and skip the city."
That's right. The backpackers hitch-hike here, stow their gear, and then head over to The Four Seasons.
This may be a simplistic response. But if you can't afford to vacation in NYC, don't fucking go to NYC.
Yea, they are going to declare all that income and pay taxes. Dream on, Ms. Chin!
Let them come back. Better than AirBNB. They are essentially hotels in commercial areas. We have hotels for homeless now, might as well let the tourists come as well.
These politicians must keep meddling with things just to try justifying their miserable existence.
Constantly trying to fix the problems that they create...
The Pan Am reopened as a hostel. We know how that worked out.
Guys, this is obviously been done to leverage AirBnB
What kind of kickback money is being offered to these council members from the association's that run these youth hostels?
Koslowitz is an asshole without any wits...just a hunger for power and money.
She sits on her lazy ass...a perennial pariah.
As the saying goes, "If you build it, they will come". I like to say "If you build it, they eventually become homeless shelters" This is a big slippery slope. I don't buy for one second Chin's argument. Come up with a better idea!!
Backpackers don't spend much on food or clothing. Maybe a couple pair of jeans and a movie. Definitely no Broadway shows.
Don't you love it: Government intervenes to stop "illegal hotels" and then declares there's missing taxes as a consequence of their actions.
What's the definition of a "youth" for admission to a "youth hostel"? How do you enforce that?
I echo the previous comment because unlike someone who declares themselves to "reside" in New York and are therefore constitutionally guaranteed a room, meals, healthcare, and education at the taxpayers expense, no such obligation exists for the "traveler". If you can't afford a visit to New York, don't visit New York.
If they make these "legal" again, in a year there will demands to make them illegal once more and the lost tax revenue be damned.
Again justifying their existence, to fix the problems they create...
About time the Council starts fixing that terrible mistake. A mistake they made just in time for AirBNB to fill the gap and make things even worse.
> If you can't afford a visit to New York, don't visit New York.
This is an absurd comment, especially coming from a blog where the users constantly (and rightfully) complain about unaffordable NYC is getting. How would you like it if people would reply "If you can't afford to live in New York, don't move to New York"?
If you can't afford to live in NYC then move to New Jersey. Rents are cheaper, there is less street crime but mafia related crime is at an all time high BADABING!!...
It's not that simple. There are legitimate reasons that NYC has become expensive because of finite resources, and illegitimate reasons which relate to tweeding that have hastened the former.
Anonymous said:
How would you like it if people would reply "If you can't afford to live in New York, don't move to New York"?
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Actually this is something that should be said all the time and makes sense. If you cannot afford to live here, then don't move to NYC. If you cannot pay your rent here or are in a homeless shelter, then you should live somewhere more affordable.
This is just plain common sense. You don't buy shit you cannot afford, plain and simple. That is why we had a major housing collapse, even though people like to blame it on banks and predatory lenders. Bottom line, people bought homes that could not afford.
This actually should be the new NYC motto:
If you can't afford to live in New York, don't move to New York". It is called accountability and being responsible for your damn actions.
"If you can't afford to live in New York, don't move to New York"?... Exactly
Useless Karen Koslowitz`looks like a Madame Tussaud's wax figure frozen in time
It's bad enough that we the people who live in New York can't afford to live in New York.
and can't afford to move out of NY.
Anonymous said...
It's not that simple. There are legitimate reasons that NYC has become expensive because of finite resources,
There are no finite resources when it comes to entitlements...
The issue isnt affordability itself but affordability that is not done fairly and well thought out by our legislators. Alloting a few 'affordable' units here and there isnt going to make a difference. Its time for some new ideas.
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