This guide begins by describing the problem of disorder at budget motels, and reviewing factors that contribute to it. ![]() Center for Problem- Oriented Policing . Finally, it reviews responses to the problem, and what is known about them from evaluative research and police practice. A wide variety of problems occur at budget motels, including disturbances. Problem motels are frequently hot spots for both nuisance activity and more serious incidents, such as robbery and sexual assault. In addition, problem motels inhibit nearby economic redevelopment. ![]() Motels and hotels house people only temporarily, often in commercial areas with high crime rates. Because budget motels offer low rates, accept cash, and often have a relatively unrestricted environment, local residents with illicit or antisocial intentions find them particularly attractive. Drug sales, prostitution, loud parties, and other activities can often be undertaken at motels with less risk than at private residences. Motel guests have little motivation to report drug dealing and prostitution because they have no long- term stake in the motel. In addition, motel managers often have a limited opportunity to get to know the backgrounds of the people on their premises. Finally, in municipalities that lack the resources to provide motel oversight, motel managers have little incentive to accept responsibility for problems.
However, both the price and the amenities at budget motels can vary greatly. The upscale budget motels (which account for 2. U. S. Low- end budget motels (1. U. S. A study of Chula Vista motels by California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), found that low room rates were strongly correlated with higher call- for- service rates. Compared with motels that charged from $4. Cheap motels did not always pose crime and disorder problems. In the 1. 93. 0s and 1. In the 1. 95. 0s, corporations such as Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson sought to capitalize on the growing national travel market by offering consumers brand- name, standardized lodging. The interstate highways built in the 1. In some cases, major motel chains built their properties right at the interstate exits; motorists seeking independent motels had to bypass the chains and venture farther from the interstate to find them. In an effort to attract customers, older motels such as this urban Arizona establishment offer rock- bottom prices for longer term guests, essentially creating low- income housing. Credit: Steve Morris. The smaller, non- chain motels had difficulty competing with the large national chains under these circumstances. To survive economically, they began catering to the lower end of the market; some turned into adult motels. ![]() ![]() Unable to afford upkeep, many of the formerly quaint motels deteriorated and became havens for crime and disorder. Direct access to rooms allows problem guests and visitors to come and go without being seen by motel personnel. Regardless of size. Credit: Karin Schmerler. Unlike hotels, many motels have a small staff. In some cases, the same individual who owns the motel also manages it and works the front desk. A midsize budget motel generally has an owner, a manager, one or more front desk clerks, several housekeepers, and, sometimes, a security guard, typically on contract. Upper- end and larger budget motels usually have additional staff that fill these roles. Although there are notable exceptions, family- operated motels tend to have higher calls- for- service- per- room (CFS/room) ratios than chain motels. The CSUSB study found that family- operated motels’ CFS/room ratios were 6. As of 2. 00. 0, approximately 6. Motel Clientele At a typical lodging establishment, 8. The remaining 2. 0 percent have other reasons for staying, including personal reasons and special events. By contrast, at budget motels with crime and disorder problems, it is not unusual to find that 8. There is some indication that motels experience a “tipping point” with respect to clientele. If a motel rents out rooms to enough problem guests, then more problem guests—and fewer legitimate guests—will be attracted to that motel. In some cases, just one problem guest can discourage legitimate guests from renting rooms. A number of motels cater predominantly to local clients with a wide variety of reasons for renting budget rooms. Low- income workers sometimes seek long- term housing at motels rather than apartments, because motels do not require a first and last month’s deposit and let guests “pay as they go.” People living day- to- day may be able to pay $3. Motels also offer free furnishings, as well as cable television, electricity, and a telephone. People lacking steady jobs also rent motel rooms nightly, short term, or long term, for the same reasons. For example, the agencies sometimes provide public- assistance recipients and parolees with housing vouchers they can use at motels. Prostitutes and their customers rent rooms to secure safe, cheap places to conduct business; drug dealers use motels to contact buyers and make transactions; smugglers use motels as way stations for people they’ve smuggled into the country; and partiers rent rooms to get away from their usual environment, drink alcohol or use drugs, and generally behave in ways that are less acceptable at home. The Calls- for- Service- per- Room Ratio: A Common Denominator. Using a calls- for- service- per- room (CSF/room) ratio allows for a standardized comparison of problem levels across motels of different sizes. The ratio is computed by dividing a motel’s total number of calls for service in a 1- year period by the number of rooms at the motel. For example: 8. 7 CFS / 3. Press Release Micro Actuator Market Players (IBM Corporation, NanoSniff Technologies), Applications (Automobile industry, Health and wellness industry) Type (electric.CFS/room 5. 2 CFS / 1. CFS/room You can use both citizen- and officer- initiated calls to calculate CFS/room ratios—either independently, for different perspectives on motel problems, or together, for total CFS/room ratios. To download an Excel spreadsheet you can use to calculate CFS/room ratios, see www. Regardless of their motivation for frequenting motels, guests and visitors who live within 3. ![]() ![]() The probation rates of problem- motel guests and visitors who provided local addresses to Chula Vista officers were 1. California’s general adult population. In contrast, no tourists questioned at the same motels indicated they were on probation or parole. In addition, the CSUSB study found that the percentage of local guests staying at a motel was positively correlated with the motel’s CFS/room ratio; in other words, the higher the number of local guests, the higher the number of CFS/room. Long- term. The CSUSB study found that the average length of stay at a motel was strongly correlated with citizen- initiated CFS/room ratios: the longer the average stay, the higher the citizen- initiated CFS/room ratio. Because they are designed to accommodate short- term guests, motel rooms are not typically stocked with cleaning products such as disinfectants, rags, dusters, mops, and vacuum cleaners, and can quickly deteriorate without frequent housekeeping and maintenance—services that low- end motels do not generally provide. Problem long- term guests are also difficult to remove from motels. In many jurisdictions, motel guests are considered legal tenants after 2. ![]() The CSUSB report found that motels that reported having problems with prostitution in the prior month had very high average CFS/room ratios compared with motels that reported other serious problems, including drug sales. In addition, if business is down or motels have trouble attracting legitimate guests due to substandard facilities, staff might rent to suspicious guests to maintain cash flow. They also may have difficulty turning down undesirable guests during slow seasons. Related Problems. Disorder at budget motels is related to other problems not directly addressed in this guide. These problems require separate analyses and responses: drug dealing in apartment complexes. Understanding Your Local Problem The information provided above is only a generalized description of disorder at budget motels. You must combine the basic facts with a more specific understanding of your local problem. Analyzing the local problem carefully will help you design a more effective response strategy. Your answers to these and other questions will help you choose the most appropriate set of responses later on. Has the volume of the two types of calls changed over time? What is the nature of the service calls and crime incidents at budget motels? Do certain types of calls and crimes occur more frequently at some properties? What is the annual CFS/room ratio ? Do the ratios vary significantly among similarly priced properties in the same neighborhood? See www. chulavistapd. CFS/room ratios for motels in your own jurisdiction. Are certain types of arrests— especially drug or prostitution arrests—more common at some properties? What crime and disorder problems have motels experienced but not reported? To download a copy of a survey you can use to interview motel managers, see www. Who owns the motel? Is it independently operated, part of a franchise, or corporately owned? Does the owner have other properties?? How much money did the motel take in last year, and what was the average occupancy rate?? Are there some security measures the manager would like to implement, but cannot due to cost, company policy, or zoning, planning, or fire code restrictions? How many motels rent to guests for more than 3. How many and what percentage of current guests in each motel are long- term tenants? Do they meet minimum standards of cleanliness, safety, and functionality? What is the general condition of the motel’s exterior? Is it well landscaped and maintained? How many entrances and exits are there to the motel grounds? Does all foot and vehicle traffic have to pass by the front office to access rooms or public areas, such as the pool? Are both vehicle and pedestrian access impeded by hedging or some other barrier? Is there a fence around the property’s perimeter, or is access controlled via a gate or other means? How many entrances and exits are there to the motel building itself?
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