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A NEW GROUP, led by two Indo American hoteliers, has formed to oppose the New York City Council's proposed "Safe Hotels Act," otherwise known as Intro 991. The new group, the NYC Minority Hotel Association, joins other associations including AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the Hotel Association of New York City in saying the proposed ordinance would damage the city's hotel business. The bill, originally proposed by Councilwoman Julie Menin on July 18 and revised on Aug. 2, would require hotels to obtain a license in order to operate in the city. "The application term would be two years, and there would be an license fee of $200. Hotels would be required to maintain continuous front desk coverage and large hotels would be required to have continuous coverage by at least one security guard," the city says on its website. "All hotels would be required to maintain the cleanliness of each guest room. The licensee would be required to directly employ their core employees, subject to enumerated exceptions. Hotels that violate the license conditions would be subject to civil penalties."

NEW YORK CITY Council members recently introduced a bill requiring hotels to obtain additional licenses to operate in the city. However, the American Hotel & Lodging Association called the bill "destructive," warning it would permanently alter hotel operations and threaten thousands of jobs in the city. The bill's sponsors claim it addresses several issues, including prohibiting hotels from using subcontractors for core functions, adopting minimum hygiene standards and committing to policies to prevent prostitution and human trafficking. AHLA urged the council to slow down on the proposed licenses, noting they would decimate the hospitality economy. "This abrupt and destructive bill would permanently alter how hotels operate and threaten the jobs of thousands of New Yorkers," said Kevin Carey, AHLA's interim president and CEO. "If it becomes law, thousands of hotel jobs could be lost, hotels will shutter, and New York City's economy - especially small business retailers, restaurants, and other hotel service providers - will suffer substantially."

THE NEW YORK City Council passed the controversial Safe Hotels Act, also known as Intro. 991, on Wednesday, despite strong opposition from industry groups like AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The council's Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection approved the bill, requiring hotel operators to obtain a license to operate in New York City. The associations argued that the bill, introduced by Councilwoman Julie Menin on July 18, will have a damaging impact on New York's hotels and economy, particularly minority-owned businesses. AAHOA said the revisions made during the legislative process fail to address industry concerns. "While we acknowledge the passage of the Safe Hotels Act and the attempt to accommodate smaller properties, this revision still falls short of addressing our broader concerns with the legislation. Hoteliers of all sizes deserve the flexibility to manage their operations effectively to ensure efficiency and guest satisfaction," said Miraj Patel, AAHOA chairman. "The unintended consequences of this act will disproportionately affect minority-owned businesses, stifling entrepreneurship and innovation in the hospitality sector."