Should L.A. hotels be forced to offer empty rooms to the homeless population? That's the goal of an initiative going to the ballot in March, but it's facing pushback.
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Six Los Angeles City Council members, including council member and chair of the Tourism Committee, Traci Park, are trying to block the initiative from reaching voters, offering an alternative.
Council member Park told KNX News reporter Craig Fiegener that the rule forcing hotel operators to offer vacancies to the unhoused is "one of the stupidest ideas" she has ever heard.
Instead, Park said, "This motion [Wednesday] presents an alternative pathway that would take this off of the ballot and instead create a voluntary program where hotel owners and operators can participate by offering vacant rooms as homeless housing if they so choose."
The opt-in program would require 12 votes to pass on its first presentation and, if approved, would create a new city law.
Park is confident that after ongoing negotiations, the motion will pass, but without it, there will be an 'absolute free for all' in hotels across Los Angeles.
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