DeKalb County Extended Stays Could Face Tighter Regulations
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One DeKalb county commissioner wants to regulate how extended stay hotels and motels operate.
Commissioner Nancy Jester is proposing an ordinance requiring extended stays to beef up their security and limit how long guests can stay. However, she says nothing is set in stone as she is still working on the details.
This comes just a month after the city of Norcross approved similar legislation, which drew criticism from the community saying the legislation could hurt families that stay at extended stays.
Jim Sprouse is the executive director of the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association. He says such changes can be helpful or harmful depending on how the ordinance is written.
“To me, the important thing that needs to happen is really the open discussion between the operators and the council that is proposing changes in legislation before changes are made,” Sprouse said.
Jester says it’s not just her who wants to see these changes made.
“It’s something that organically has come up from the people in the community saying hey look, these are a problem,” she said. “It’s created crime, blight, all kinds of issues. So can you do something about it?”
Jester says the proposed ordinance could reach a final vote as soon as next month.