City of Branson Revamping Inspections for Extended Stay Motels
By: April Hansen
Updated: April 27, 2012
(Branson, MO) -- The city of Branson is extending its plan for hotel inspections. Extended-stay motels are the priority.
The city is concerned that some of the rooms are unsafe because they were never designed for long term housing. The extended stay motels serve visitors, locals and seasonal workers that pay a monthly or weekly rent. But now safety concerns are forcing the city to revamp their inspection plan.
Richard Laughery is the manager of The Palms Inn on the Highway 76 strip. He says the inn is full.
"I don't keep empty rooms for any length of time. They're snapped up," Laughery says.
With an average weekly rent of $120, it's a cheap place to stay but he's worried that the new inspections could mean people will be displaced.
"I understand thinking behind that to see what kind of cooking, hot plates and baking ovens and they have the fire hazard, but I feel its invasive to someone's privacy," he says.
He's aware of the safety concerns.
"A hot plate, I don't see the harm in it," he says. "As long as they're not trying to run a hot plate, an oven and a microwave all at the same time."
That scenario's one of the reasons why the city of Branson is doing the inspections.
"We've had some small fires. We've had fires caused by smoking, by cooking. We're trying to make sure we can educate the public that are using these as residential bases to be safe," says Fire Chief Ted Martin.
Currently, there isn't a code for the extended stay motels and it's a problem when it comes to inspections
"We thought about trying to create an extended stay code, but then we realized that the real issue is for it to be a safe unit." Martin says.
Martin wants to make clear that the plan isn't to put people on the streets. They city understands the motels are people's homes.
"It's not really to target one type of property," Martin says. "It is a party of our bigger program of the inspection process to reduce the chance of loss of life and property in our community."
Martin says they've found deep fryers, refrigerators and hot plates in motel units that were not wired to handle those type of appliances.
He says the properties offer affordable housing often walking distance of where people work. The city's ultimate goal is to inspect all the hotels and motels in Branson to make sure they are safe to live in. The process should run through the next two weeks.
The city is concerned that some of the rooms are unsafe because they were never designed for long term housing. The extended stay motels serve visitors, locals and seasonal workers that pay a monthly or weekly rent. But now safety concerns are forcing the city to revamp their inspection plan.
Richard Laughery is the manager of The Palms Inn on the Highway 76 strip. He says the inn is full.
"I don't keep empty rooms for any length of time. They're snapped up," Laughery says.
With an average weekly rent of $120, it's a cheap place to stay but he's worried that the new inspections could mean people will be displaced.
"I understand thinking behind that to see what kind of cooking, hot plates and baking ovens and they have the fire hazard, but I feel its invasive to someone's privacy," he says.
He's aware of the safety concerns.
"A hot plate, I don't see the harm in it," he says. "As long as they're not trying to run a hot plate, an oven and a microwave all at the same time."
That scenario's one of the reasons why the city of Branson is doing the inspections.
"We've had some small fires. We've had fires caused by smoking, by cooking. We're trying to make sure we can educate the public that are using these as residential bases to be safe," says Fire Chief Ted Martin.
Currently, there isn't a code for the extended stay motels and it's a problem when it comes to inspections
"We thought about trying to create an extended stay code, but then we realized that the real issue is for it to be a safe unit." Martin says.
Martin wants to make clear that the plan isn't to put people on the streets. They city understands the motels are people's homes.
"It's not really to target one type of property," Martin says. "It is a party of our bigger program of the inspection process to reduce the chance of loss of life and property in our community."
Martin says they've found deep fryers, refrigerators and hot plates in motel units that were not wired to handle those type of appliances.
He says the properties offer affordable housing often walking distance of where people work. The city's ultimate goal is to inspect all the hotels and motels in Branson to make sure they are safe to live in. The process should run through the next two weeks.
Comments
Safety is an issue in these motels, but until a more affordable housing solution exists for the unrecognized problem of homeless people, the motels are all many workers have. I would suggest requiring the motels to have insurance on all facilities--some destroyed by the tornado did not. The city has a homeless/affordable housing issue--either it provides or assists in providing housing for workers, or else it forces employers to pay a livable wage. A busing system alone will not solve the problem. Too many can't afford the high cost of living in a home or apartment. Until officials and employers attempt to live on the wages paid to the service industry workers, arrogance and denial will continue to THEIR problem, not the workers' problem.
Vonda S.
April 28, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Living in a motel some people consider us to be "homeless". Some of us aren't homeless the motel room has become our home. We pay rent weekly or monthly, I've lived in the same motel for the last 4 years. I only live in a motel because I can't afford the deposits for the electric, gas, trash, water, cable, internet. It's a little bit cheaper to live this way. And there's no one around to help in times of need because the programs(state) won't help because we are considered "homeless". With the inspections coming up some of these motels aren't wired to support appliances and instead of spending the money to rewire the rooms they will just close the doors and we will still be displaced and living on the streets. Anyone with common sense should know not to run all the appliances at the same time. I'm sure I will find myself living on the streets come next week since no one I have contacted for help with help me with my rent. Even tho I work sometime I just need a little extra help and it's not forthcoming.
Janet C.
April 28, 2012 at 1:39 pm
