Hotels Jack Up Rates for Democratic Convention, Evicting Homeless Families in the Process
The Democratic National Convention was exciting for the political elite and those who owned businesses. But one group of people who isn’t happy about the convention coming to Charlotte are poor families that live in hotels. Hotels, eager to chase the cash that comes in from major events like this one, are jacking up the prices of hotel rooms to rates that the local people can no longer afford. Women like Lakia Ramsey are upset because she and her kids were evicted from the $200 per week hotel room that they’d been staying in until she finds a permanent place to live.
Ramsey has a four-year old son and two-year old daughter, and they were all kicked out of the hotel when the rates suddenly jumped to $150 per night.
“They kicked me and my kids out like we were trash,” said Ramsey.
Ramsey found a place to stay at a local church, but there are other families that are concerned about what the DNC has done to their living and housing options.
The United States has hit a poverty crisis that our nation hasn’t seen since the 1960s. The number of families that are homeless went up 40% in 2010 and another 20% in 2011, according to the US Conference of Mayors. Families are struggling to pay the bills, while neither the Democratic nor Republican parties are choosing to speak directly to the issue at their conventions.
“These are folks who are on the edge of homelessness and they’re eking out an existence,” said Dale Mullenix, executive director of the Urban Ministry Center.
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Hotels Jack Up Rates for Democratic Convention, Evicting Homeless Families in the Process
Now this is the caption on the story when I click to read it! But the caption that lead me here said DNC Accused of Getting Families Evicted from Hotels in Charlotte! This is ridiculous! Hotels making this decision is the DNC’s fault?
It is the hotel’s fault … and they need to make an issue of it by showing up at the Convention and letting the people know what they did …
I live in the town next to Notre Dame University and for home games, the prices double; sometimes trible, and you have to stay a minimum of two nights. Having checked around, I find this is true for all college towns. So why make it seem like the DNC is responsible for this act of capitalism, which is really a call that the hotel owners make.
The same would be found in Tampa last week!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!! They are not staying at the Westin, Hilton or the Balleyntine Resort… the hotel controls who stays and if she reads the small print on the receipt or check in papers, they can ask you to leave at any time without giving you a reason.
I live in Charlotte and this story was featured on the local news. The interesting thing is that, and no offense to the lady in this story, but most of the hotels were located in parts of town that most people coming from out of town probably wouldn’t want to stay in. I am quite sure some where surprised at what they got for they money they paid.
Here tell her to go to library and look up craigslist. Find an apartment for the same amount of money……..
$400 / 2br – Two bedroom apartment for rent (charlotte)
She could pay rent somewhere for 800.00 a month. Its gotta 2 b a room for her. I hate shes homeless but 200.00 can go a little further.
What wrong with this Black World dung….They must have been bough by the Koch Brother or some of those other lame jackasses…
Most all hotels and motels do this dung, raise the prices….Even in small towns like my home…
If you print another lame article like I will unsubscribe .
This is no different when Obama came to Denver to accept the nomination and the DNC, Mayor and the Governor of Colorado moved the homeless out of town and into motels pretending that Colorado did not have homeless people living in cars and on the streets.
Major propaganda bullsh!t for the Demoscrews.
Interesting article. Sheds light on a huge problem. People who live paycheck to paycheck who can’t come up with security deposits, first and last months rent all at once. The only remaining options are these roach motels. The problem here again though is that the weekly rate is often so high that the family can’t save up enough to move out into an apartment. It’s a terrible cycle. It’s just like a payday loan. You just sink deeper and deeper. I’d think with all the abandoned, foreclosed and blighted property in most these neighborhoods, and others, that HUD would develop some type of program that would help working families come up with the deposits to move. Unlike Section 8, which pays monthly rent, these folks just need a little assistance, most of which they would more than likely pay back. So, I don’t think it’s the DNC’s fault or any other convention. I do believe most these hotels do need to find a heart though, but ultimately it’s our economy. As a landlord, in inner city communities, I always worked out deals to allow people to move into my apartments. Yes, sometimes I was burned, but ultimately I pray it will be considered one more feather in my good deed cap. We should look out for others. I’m just saying…….
This kind of thing happens all over the world when foreign or government dignitaries come to visit a city. In Mexico the street vendors and panhandlers are removed from the streets. At the recent G20 in Los Cabos, the beach vendors were removed as well. There is some kind of thinking that if you make the poor invisible, no one’s feelings will be hurt.