As families around the world plan their summer vacations, the average hotel room in New York City now exceeds $300 a night, because many of them have had to turn to work as migrant shelters.
With about 135 of the city’s nearly 700 hotels being used as part of the shelter program, the average daily rate for a hotel in the Big Apple rose eight percent from $277.92 in 2022 to $301.61 in 2023. as the supply of rooms falls.
That means a large family planning a summer vacation in the city could spend thousands of dollars just to stay.
In the first three months of each year, hotel rates typically decline, but in the first quarter of 2024, the average room cost $230.79 a night, up from $216.38 in the same period last year. last year.
New York City stepped up its efforts to expel migrants from its overwhelmed shelters on Wednesday as it began enforcement. a new rule that limits some adult asylum seekers to one month in the system before having to find a bed on their own.
As families around the world plan their summer vacations, the average hotel room in New York City is now over $300 a night, because many of them, like The Row NYC hotel in Times Square, have had to dedicate themselves to functioning as shelters for immigrants.
Immigrants without young children must now leave hotels, tent complexes and other city-run shelter facilities and find other accommodations after 30 days – or 60 days for those between 18 and 23 years old – unless they present evidence of “extenuating circumstances” and are granted an exemption.
According to the New York TimesHotels participating in the program receive $185 per night per city room.
The city has lost more than 16,000 hotel rooms to the tourist program, leaving only 121,677. That number is already 2,812 fewer than before the pandemic.
Because hotel rooms are in short supply, none of the hotels that applied to participate in the program, such as the four-star Row NYC Hotel in Times Square or the Roosevelt near Grand Central, have returned to operating as they did before the crisis.
That’s why four-star hotels like CitizenM in Times Square charge at least $389 per night per room. according to Hotels.com.
At least 22 hotels are located in Midtown Manhattan, which includes Times Square, Grand Central Terminal and the Empire State Building.
A three-star establishment like Staypineapple still costs no less than $308 per night per room.
The huge price increases will hit middle-income families, who will find that a mid-range hotel room now costs close to what a luxury stay would have cost before the crisis.
“I really think it’s allowed the two-, two-and-a-half-star hotels to be a little more emboldened and take advantage of the situation and charge prices that maybe they wouldn’t otherwise be able to,” Sean Hennessey said. , hospitality industry consultant and associate clinical professor at New York University.
Further increasing demand for hotels is the citywide ban on Airbnb short-term rentals, with most of those properties now only available for stays of 30 days or longer, ruling out nearly all tourist bookings. .
Four-star hotels like CitizenM in Times Square charge at least $389 a night for a room
A three-star establishment like Staypineapple still costs a whopping $308 per night per room.
Mayor Eric Adams, for his part, sees it differently and states in a statement that tourist interest in the city has increased prices.
“The return of tourists to New York City is also reflected in hotels, where demand has increased,” the statement said.
“New York City is safer, cleaner and, as the numbers show, remains one of the most popular destinations in the United States.”
As of Wednesday night, 192 immigrants had requested an extension after reaching their limit, and 118 had been approved, Mayor Eric Adams’ office said. Thousands more are expected to receive eviction notices in the coming months.
The new restrictions came after the Adams administration succeeded in March in altering the city’s uniqueness. right to refuge ‘ rule that requires you to provide temporary housing to each homeless person who requests it.
Before the new rule went into effect, adult immigrants without children were still limited to 30 days in a shelter, but could immediately reapply for a new bed with no questions asked.
The city also restricts immigrant families with young children to 60 days remains, but they are not affected by the new rule and can still reapply without providing any justification.
Still, an audit found that the The launch was “fortuitous” during the last six months
Mayor Eric Adams, for his part, sees it differently and states in a statement that tourist interest in the city has increased prices.
Migrant families walk to school in front of the Row Hotel that serves as a migrant shelter
Immigrant rights and homeless advocates say they are closely monitoring the eviction process, which affects about 15,000 immigrant adults. The city’s shelter system currently houses about 65,000 migrants, but many of them are families with children.
Adams, a Democrat, responded Tuesday to critics who have called the city increasingly restrictive Immigrant shelter regulations are inhumane and randomly deployedsaying the city simply cannot continue housing immigrants indefinitely.
New York City has provided temporary housing to nearly 200,000 immigrants since spring 2022, and more than a thousand new arrivals arrive in the city each week, he noted.
“People said it was inhumane to take people out during the winter, so now they’re saying it’s inhumane to do it in the summer,” Adams said. ‘There is no good time. There is no good time.’
The move comes as Denver, another city that has seen an influx of immigrants, embarks on a ambitious immigrant support program that includes six-month stays in apartments and intensive job preparation for those who cannot yet legally work.
Meanwhile Chicago has imposed 60 days accommodation limits for adult migrants without renewal option, and Massachusetts has limited stays for families up to nine months, starting in June.
Adams had asked a court in October to suspend the ‘right to housing’ requirement completely, but the measure was rejected by immigrant rights and homeless advocacy groups. In March they established with an agreement that establish the new rules for immigrants.
The agreement still allows city officials to grant extensions of shelter stays on a case-by-case basis.
New York City has provided temporary housing to nearly 200,000 immigrants since spring 2022, and more than a thousand new arrivals arrive in the city each week, he noted.
Because hotel rooms are in short supply, none of the hotels that applied to participate in the program, such as the four-star Row NYC Hotel in Times Square or the Roosevelt near Grand Central (pictured), have returned to operating as before the crisis.
City officials say immigrants must demonstrate they are making “significant efforts to resettle,” such as applying for work authorization or asylum, or searching for a job or apartment.
Immigrants can also get an extension if they can show they plan to move out of town within 30 days, have an upcoming immigration-related hearing, or have a serious medical procedure or are recovering from one.
Immigrants between the ages of 18 and 20 can also get extensions if they are enrolled full-time in high school.
New York City appears to be bracing for a “summer surge” of migrants, as some asylum seekers have reportedly been abruptly moved from their shelters.
The Department of Homeless Services handed out notices to migrant families staying in shelters in Brooklyn on Tuesday, warning them that they had 24 to 48 hours to relocate.
Win, the one from the Big Apple largest family shelter providerHe said that almost two weeks ago they began receiving from the city a list of clients who will be transferred to hotels for immigrants.
