Dive Brief:
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom extended the suspension of laws classifying long-term occupants of short-term lodging as tenants in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties as wildfire evacuees continue to use hotels for housing, the governor’s office announced Friday.
- State laws classify hotel guests at many properties as tenants after 30 days. On Jan. 27, Newsom suspended such regulations until March 8; his decision Friday suspends the laws until July 1.
- The California Hotel & Lodging Association praised the move, with CHLA President and CEO Lynn Mohrfeld calling it “simply the right thing to do” as hotels continue to play a key role in recovery efforts.
Dive Insight:
According to Mohrfeld, Newsom’s order “allows our hotels to continuously shelter individuals, families and pets as the LA community continues its long recovery from the devastating wildfires.”
The Palisades and Eaton wildfires scorched 23,448 and 14,021 acres respectively throughout January, per NBC News.
"Our LA hotels continue to provide shelter and comfort for those who need our support," Mohrfeld added in a statement.
In addition to offering shelter to displaced people, Los Angeles hotels have taken in pets, donated toiletries and bedding, and in some cases, offered free rooms. Hilton, for instance, partnered with American Express in January to provide 20,000 free hotel rooms to displaced residents.
Meanwhile, hospitality workers’ average hours rose in the weeks following the fires — even as workers in nearly every other industry saw average hours decline, according to research from ADP.
Hospitality businesses may benefit from increased demand from construction workers as the area continues to recover long-term, Natalie Ambrosio Preudhomme, associate director of commercial real estate research at Moody’s, told Hotel Dive in January.
