California has secured nearly 16,000 motel rooms to shelter homeless people during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Saturday.
Motel 6 has 5,025 rooms at 47 of its corporate locations in 19 counties, in addition to 10,974 rooms secured by cities and counties with financial support of up to 75 percent from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. Newsom said 4,211 people are currently checked into the hotel rooms, and about 108,500 are homeless throughout the state.
“We cannot do this alone as a state, we’re sort of building the plane but someone else has to fly it,” Newsom said. “It’s the counties that really lead this effort and it’s the cities that need to support this effort.”
“Homeless individuals are members of our community, people that are a paycheck away from losing the capacity to have that key and lock and a place to call home. I hope we’ll consider their lives and future as well,” he said.
“We don’t want these rooms simply opened for a few weeks, or a few months,” San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said. “Let’s give counties and cities the dollars they need to purchase motels so we can really aggressively address the homelessness crisis that will be here well beyond the time that this pandemic passes.”
Note to self: Never stay at a Motel 6.
Maaan you beat me to it.
And there in Liccardo’s statement, the true reason for this pandemic: Government seizure and control of property, for socialist gains.
I wanted to let you know that these are corporate properties. There are many properties that are owned by franchisess. If you are checking into a Motel 6 you should ask if it’s independently owned if it is then you should know that they are not part of this program.
Don’t be so sure on the “corporate properties” only. The articles citing of “in addition to 10,974 rooms secured by cities and counties”, does not imply that those rooms are corporate; local governments like to do business with local owned.
Caveat emptor
16,000 rooms, wow.
How will these rooms be disinfected and what assurances of virus-free sanitary conditions will be given to the public when this is over? Who will pay for this?
Who pays for the medical staff who will need to be on sight 24/7?
Who will be financially responsible for the security and any damages to those properties?
Who will be liable for any and all potential legal actions?
So many other questions and details.
I don’t trust Newsom.
It will become permanent . Mark my words. Yes, how are they going to manage these folks once they are in motel or hotel. There are not enough social workers.
What did Governor Newsom promise these owners? They will probably get huge tax credits to offset the damage that will happen
Gee, Todos Los Santos will become a bigger mess with so many homeless at the Premier Inn.
It’ll be like the nursing home situation, it’ll fast track killing them is all
When all of this is over, will they fumigate the rooms?
Great news, now county taxes will really soar…I just can’t wait for crime to increase in the areas with concentrated homeless populations.
‘Let’s give counties and cities the dollars they need to purchase motels so we can really aggressively address the homelessness crisis that will be here well beyond the time that this pandemic passes.”
Who’s LET’S??
Once AGAIN, quickest ways to motivate politicians is embarrassment and fear of negative publicity.
History, he was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from January 8, 1997 until 2004 when elected mayor.
Flashback June 30, 2004 as first term mayor newsom pledged, In 10 years the worst of San Francisco’s homeless problem would be gone.
https://www.sfgate.com/archive/item/A-decade-of-homelessness-Thousands-in-S-F-30431.php?cmpid=prembus
Homeless dead from a virus what a strong motivator,
the possibility of negative publicity is.
Deaths might even derail a presidential bid . . . .
The room comes with daily maid service, meals and drug delivery.
Guess you didn’t hear the story about the night I spent at Motel 6 in Walnut Creek. They aren’t the Mark Hopkins.
Do you think they will ever get rid of the bed bugs after they force them out?
EXACTLY!
The homeless are commonly infected with such bad cases…many social workers have brought them home when they set their backpack down for a brief moment near encampments…
~Cringe~ 🙁
Gavin’s California Circus continues
It is disgusting. Politicians do nothing for years then come up with the craziest ideal ever. They are homeless because of mental illness, alchohol and drug addictions. They need treatment not motel rooms. This is a bandage.
Yep – it is easy to give out freebies when it is not your money.
Steering us straight into recession. Thanks Gov Noseby
Agreed!
That State is now in a sense taking conservatoire/guardianship of these people “in need”and you know how CA courts go… The State (code-word for TAXPAYERS) will be stuck with them…
“Homeless individuals … are a paycheck away from … a place to call home.”
What? That whole sentence makes no sense. Since when did homeless have paychecks? I think Newson has gone over the edge. He’s blubbering all the platitudes but they don’t apply. The saying goes, “Working people are one paycheck away from homelessness” not “the homeless are a paycheck away from home.” .Newsom is beginning to sound as confused and demented as Biden. Looks like the whole situation has really gotten to him.
I am, however, glad to see that something is being done to house the homeless, especially after everything liberals in California have done for illegal aliens. But,16,000? That hardly makes a dent in the numbers that are homeless in California. Anyway, it’s a start. By the time this is over he can kiss that 26 billion dollar budget surplus Brown accumulated goodbye, along with that 5th largest economy nonsense he was spouting when he took office. He may have to reinstate that executions thingie, too, because I’m sure all the criminals he’s letting out of prison are going to pick up where they left off. It might be cheaper in the long run just to give anyone who wanted one a free ticket out of California.
“Since when did homeless have paychecks?” There are homeless people who have low wage jobs. Some are in tents, some are living in cars, in shelters or couch surfing. https://www.axios.com/working-and-homeless-in-the-u-1513093474-7e6f7be3-ddb5-486b-9a1a-f8be0d4c088c.html
“It might be cheaper in the long run just to give anyone who wanted one a free ticket out of California” Homeward Bound programs are underfunded, which is a huge problem. Another issue, is that to get a Homeward Bound ticket, a person needs to be sponsored by someone at their destination, and there needs to be proof that they won’t be homeless when they get to their destination.
Many people think they’ll like living in California, but when they get here they get homesick and spiral into depression. Particularly people from more rural parts of the country, they just can’t handle the hustle and bustle of the Bay Area.
Thanks,I realize there are working homeless. I meant giving the ticket’s out of California to those who object to helping them.
Maybe buying old hotels is cheaper than building new public housing.
Everyone should have a roof over their head. However, this is no answer; it’s not even a band-aid. You can only help those that want help. It says nothing of teaching them skills to become self sufficient, or receiving mental health assistance. There is no plan here.
As soon as he said, “but someone else has to fly it” it’s quite clear he will claim no responsibility for the outcome. He’s the idea guy, someone else can see to the details……..
So let me get this right. Newsom wants all the homeless together, for protection or whatever. He is bringing people together. Yet he opens the prisons up because everyone is too close and unsafe. You can’t have it both ways! #dumpnewsom
My exact thought! How are they going to keep the homeless in their rooms social distancing? Using the police force? Taking away from the residents? Hire security? More taxes.
Do some simple math, lets say they manage to get rooms for $40 a night, times 16,000 rooms that’s $640,000 a day.
An once virus crisis is over and it’s no longer an election year, then what happens to the homeless ? ? ?
I don’t see a “end” date any where in the story, so I guess it is safe to assume
it will be at least years, what a bunch of crap
As usual, none of the people commenting know what they’re talking / writing about.
CoCo County’s CORE just told me only homeless in shelters are in the motels, because the County shut down the two shelters.
Any homeless who gets Covid-19 will be given a room to quarantine in.
Anybody who is homeless, whether in a vehicle or on the street, is SOL.
The last sentence should read:
Anybody else who is homeless, whether in a vehicle or on the street, is SOL.
You are pathetic!
I have never read so many hateful selfish comments that show how sad and empty you all are! You make me all want to cry! These rooms in the hotels are for the infected COVID cases. Do you want them not to be taken care of and running around spreading the virus? So sad.
How about rooms for the homeless because they are human and they are suffering, not because you’re afraid they’ll infect you?
Please remember this when Newsom runs for president! Never forget what he’s done to SF and CA! Sickening! Why did anyone vote for him for governor? He’s a disgusting hypocrite!
Just wait, John Burris will be representing the homeless (non-whites only) and claim civil rights violations for inadequate housing conditions. I can’t wait to see the mentally ill trying to read his prepared statements about the horrible conditions they were forced to endure during the crisis. Taken off the streets, and housed in motel rooms. Damn you newsome!
Is the mini bar included? Tax payers gonna get hammered if it is. So are the “guest”!
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Such vitriol on display for the homeless. Sad to call some of you my neighbors, but also relieved that you don’t represent a sizeable enough part of the electorate to have any impact on society.
As I’ve said from the beginning here, I actually feel very fortunate I don’t know some of these people in real life.
This homeless rescue is just the tip of the iceberg.
I listened to Newsom’s speech about the homeless and his plans to reopen and recover the state.
Look at his advisory committee. He even dug up Gray Davis.
I believe Gavin will make Venezuela look like paradise compared to CA.
Our career whore politicians and marginal public sector bureaucrats are incapable of making efficient and productive policy…Just look at the Oakland and Richmond public schools. They have no skin in the game (i.e. loss of income and savings). They have yet to clearly articulate the threshold that prompted 100% SIP vs. a SIP for targeted high risk groups. Annual mortality rates of drug OD, influenza, suicide, etc. could be reduced with 100% SIP. Admit it people, we have been duped by our incompetent government sector.
You clearly don’t have enough knowledge about guns to be stating that. I would hope that if you own a shotgun you wouldn’t mistreat it thinking that no one would get hurt. Furthermore, it’s disturbing that you would be ok with killing another human.
S+S: I am really looking forward to your reply on this. This should be fun. Like your work, by the way.
They can’t even keep the parks and schools in decent shape without continually asking for more taxes. How do they expect to become landlords of 16,000 hotel rooms. Don’t we get to vote on something like allowing the state to start buying hotels?
If you teach a man to fish, he’s not dependent on you for his food anymore.
OMG, they will be turned into drug dealing infested whore houses…..Good luck with that…
Well, at-least some business are making money through all this nonsense…
How cute, you’ve twisted my words. I said disturbing, not disgusting. Also, i couldn’t care less about what Big 5 is selling (although if you’re so shocked as to why they sell firearms used for hunting, you might want to remember that they’re a “sporting goods” store. Hunting, trap, skeet, etc.) Not really sure what to make of the rest of your rambling, because sentence structure doesn’t seem to be your strong suit. As for two of your points, I understand the reasoning for using a firearm as self-defense. As someone with a conscious, I would be horrified if that involved taking another’s life. There’s a reason that police don’t do it unless necessary. And yes, I respect the police and trust in their ability to keep me safe.
There’s room for both the ability to sport and/or defend one’s self with a firearm and still put a dent in what is clearly a public safety issue. But reasonable and rational collaboration is all but impossible now because we lack the collective emotional intelligence. It’s all about what team you’re blindly loyal to and that if anything, will be our downfall. And I damn sure will be armed when that happens. If that happens.
#loadyourown
@Atticus Thraxx I totally agree, that was well put
You’re right, I am bored, but I know also you have nothing better to do than continue to argue with me. Thanks for all the lovely insults by the way. You put out a really good face for this community.
And I agreed with Atticus because the key difference in his statement was that he didn’t say anything about taking a life. I fully understand that if it happens during self defense, it happens. As an owner of a firearm I would definitely use it in self defense if I had to. However, I believe that if you aren’t troubled by the thought of taking a life, it’s disturbing.