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| Posted By | Discussion Topic: Homeless Put Up in Ritzy Digs | ||||
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| TeenWeek what's a status? | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 9:36 AM |    | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00  | Homeless Put Up in Ritzy Digs $329-a-night hotels for AIDS sufferers By ROBERT INGRASSIA Daily News Staff Writer he city is routinely sheltering homeless people with AIDS at upscale Manhattan hotels, shelling out as much as $329 per night for luxury rooms. Sofitel New York at 45 W. 44th, has been providing shelter to homeless people with AIDS, on the taxpayers' dime. Last weekend, several homeless people stayed on the taxpayers' dime at the posh Sofitel New York on W. 44th St. near Fifth Ave., where guests can enjoy marble tubs and stunning views of the city. In recent weeks, the AIDS agency of the city Human Resources Administration has sent homeless people with AIDS to the Doral Park Avenue in midtown, the Best Western Seaport Inn at the South Street Seaport and several other tourist hotels costing $200 or more per night. Officials at three of the hotels said some of the homeless guests left behind messy rooms and ran up minibar bills that the city didn't cover. "There's so much in the rooms that are extra," said Rudy Benavides, hotel operations director at the Doral. "You can literally consume $500 worth of items without credit." Even some of the homeless people staying in the hotels questioned the city's use of taxpayer dollars. "They're paying these outrageous rates — $169 a day, for seven days," said William White, 49, who stayed at a Best Western at W. 48th St. and Broadway last month. "You add that up, that's a month's rent." Plus, he said, homeless people suffer when they stay at a nice place one night and at a dump the next: "That's like going from the Hamptons to the Bowery." Under a 1999 court order, the city must provide shelter for homeless people with AIDS on the day they apply for help. The city operates 10 referral centers. Last night, HRA, which oversees the Division of AIDS Services, said it normally uses single-room-occupancy hotels but, because of "the limited availability and loss of SRO capacity due to conversions, [the agency] has had to use private-market hotels on occasion to meet the emergency demand in order to comply with the court order." Spokeswoman Debra Sproles said HRA is reviewing the situation and that the high rental costs highlight "the unworkability of the court order." She also said the AIDS agency has embarked on new initiatives for "supported housing" programs and "anticipates that all of these actions will eliminate the need to utilize private market hotels." A watchdog group that closely monitors the AIDS program said HRA routinely places about 200 people per night in hotels throughout the five boroughs. The group estimated the city's hotel tab exceeds $100,000 a week. Many homeless are sent to moderately priced hotels, but with the supply of cheap rooms dwindling because of the booming tourism industry, the city has been turning to upscale hotels. A Sofitel spokeswoman said the city has sent small groups of homeless people to the hotel three or four times during the past several weeks. On Friday night, one guest used up minibar items, couldn't pay for the extras and was asked to leave, said hotel spokeswoman Leslie Cohen. Cohen said the rooms the city rented Friday cost $329 each and were charged to an American Express account. The hotel — "like a lot of people in New York" — is "concerned that this is how the city is spending its money," Cohen said. A Best Western Seaport Inn official said the city did not call in advance or try to negotiate a group rate. "I thought it was unusual the city was referring people to more upscale hotels," said the hotel representative, who asked not to be identified. "It seemed to me they could select something more economical." Housing advocates blamed the city for failing to foresee the shortage of decent short-term shelter for homeless people with AIDS. "They shouldn't be sending people to hotels at all," said Emmaia Gelman, an aide to City Councilwoman Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan). "They should get some new housing on line — pronto." "I can understand how someone might be shocked at the city paying $200 a night to shelter a homeless person in a beautiful hotel," said Jennifer Flynn, director of the nonprofit New York City AIDS Housing Network. "But the clients don't want to go to these hotels. They'd prefer to get into some place that's longer-term." Flynn said she has seen caseworkers check the phone book to find hotels for applicants. Her organization posts staffers and volunteers outside the city's AIDS office at Eighth Ave. and 30th St. each day to check up on the hotel referrals. "They're not running a very good travel agency," Flynn said. "At 3 p.m. every day, they just see how many people are left to place, and they start calling around. They don't book ahead." With Derek Rose Sofitel New York 45 W. 44th St. Contemporary 30-story tower overlooking Fifth Ave. with 398 rooms and 52 suites. Every room has a radio, cable television, air conditioning, minibar, hair dryer and high-speed Internet access. Features: Stunning city views Traditional French brasserie restaurant Piano bar Fitness center Conference rooms and ballroom Full-menu room service Concierge Baby-sitting services  Teens, making the world a better place to live in. | ||||
| Sean Cold 3:16 | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 9:41 AM | | |||
| Hanger-On Registered: Jan. 70 | didn't Spaz rent this same hotel room when he first got his credit card on his Bday? Get On The Plank Fuck!!!!! | ||||
| TeenWeek what's a status? | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 9:43 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00 | Well we all knew Spaz was homeless, but I did not know that he had AIDS. Teens, making the world a better place to live in. | ||||
| King f-tard | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 11:14 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Feb. 01 | So if Stalker Patty needs a home, all she has to do is get infected with AIDS. Good, get Rick to bang her, and all will be well. | ||||
I Need An Old Priest And A Young Priest | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 11:21 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00 | Teenweek, interesting article and I feel much better now about the taxes I just paid. I think you are becoming the Unofficial News Reporter of O&A.com.  Officially Part of JWO: skitchr4u & JasonFromRiverEdge Adopted Newbie: drkn2forget | ||||
| TeenWeek what's a status? | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 11:23 AM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00 | Thanks Joey. I do feel like Tom BrokenJaw today. King F-tard, just because he is Puerto Rican, you can't just assume he has Aids. Oh forget it, he is gay. He defintely has Aids than Teens, making the world a better place to live in. | ||||
| IkeaBoy P.L.F. Portugese Liberation Front- Liberating Status' everywhere from the Tyranny of Portugal I will die a traitor's death | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 2:51 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Veteran Registered: Sep. 00 | Well my headline caught more attenion... Anyway, can a homeless person cut himself, bleed in certain spots over the room and maybe have the next guy in the room get AIDS?  | ||||
| Rog2K | posted on 04-11-2001 @ 3:23 PM | | |||
| O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01 | quote: She'd have to find someone to have sex with her first...  Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic. | ||||
Displaying 1-8 of 8 messages in this thread. |