HomeMy WebLinkAbout0351.0004li .• •
June 1. 1990
HONORA!!H CITY COONe I L
P,l. ~lt •• C.liforoia
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE R[YIE~ING
PALO ALTO'S S[NGlE~RD9M ~CUPANCY_H9T[LS
Members Df the Council:
Attached is the report of the Siogle-Ro<lm Occupanc,)' Hotel Committee requested
bJ (;tJ Council It its November 28, ]988 meetfng.
The Committee ~as comprised of members of the Human R~lations Commission J the
Palo Alto Rousing Corporation, the Urban ~;listr1 and City staff. findings
and recommendations of the Committee are d;~~ssed in detail ;~ the report.
and ar! summarized as follows:
fJ~df~9S and Recommendatinn~
[u s~mmary. the Committee recommends t~at the (ouncil consider the f~11ow1ng:
l~ fdenttffcatlon of SRO ~otels as an important element of the {ity's low
income housing stocK 11 t~e City~$ st~te-mandated Rousing £lement update
(scheduled for City Council conSl~erition on June 21. 1990);
2. Commit admi'lstrative and technical assistance wi~ Palo Alto Housing
(orporatlGD and (itJ staff resources to aSSist SRO botel owners in
obtaj,ing availab1e federal and state grants and loans for seismic
rebabilitation. general upgrading and additions to exfsting SRO
facl1ities; and
3. Commit the water tower site ]ocited ct the southeast corner of Alma
Street and Hawthorne Avenue for a ne~ SRO development.
R.>pectf.ll, sub.ltte~.
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(MOl JANSEN
Chief Planning Offici~l
N'\'l!1h~~\ <1iJ~ flE"ING
Assistant C1tJ ~dnager
.Attachmef:1t
CMP:35! tI
KENNETH ~_ SCKREIBER
Director of Planning and
Community Enwironment
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June 1. 1990
HONORABlE CITY COUNCil
Pil. Alto, C.llfero;.
RECOMMENDATIONS fOR TH{ PRESERVATION AND DEiElOPMENT Of
~INGLE-ROOKOCCUPANCY HOTELS IN PALO AlTO
~mbers of the Council:
SUMMAAY
On November 28, 1988~ t~e City Council requested t~at a <ommtttee be formed to
address the fssues related to the preservation of t~e City's single-room
c<cupancy lSRO) ~otels_ The {on~ittee was to be comprised of ~embers of t~e
Human Relations Commission, t~e Palo Alto Hous1ng Corporation~ the Urban
Mlmistry and staff~ T~is action was prDmpted by the theR impendiDg sale of
one of the (itJrs SRG ~otels, the Barker Hotel, and the potential con~ersion
of t~is fac1litJ tQ i ~ore upscale, commercial ~otel~ The Council action was
preci,ltated not only by the potential lass of one of these botels y but by t~e
broader polfC1 fssiJes of disJ!llaceme~t of an important low-income hous~[]g
resource il t~e (1tJ~
The SRO Comm1ttee ffrst <onvened il Oecember~ ]988. Shortly tnereafter. it
~as learned t~at the Barker Hotel bad beea sold to Palo Alto developer Ji~
Baer, ~o purc~ased the bUildi09 speclficalTy to retaia its SRO ~otel ~~e.
lhe Barter Hotel ~as recently undergone i~terio~ cosmetic upgrading. and ~as
been fyll, Dr nearl, fwlly rer-ted for the last few mo"t~s. 1m addition t~
providiog houslc~, the owner of tne property ~as worked wit~ Ji~ Burklo Qf the
Urban JIIi"istry t~ provide needed sochl ser.ices for the res'idects of the
botel.
Although disposition ef the Barter Hotel ~as resolwed. tne (~rnrnittee ccntlnued
to meet i. order t~ report back to the Council on long-term me~hanisrns to
faCilitate Single-room occupancy botel preser~ation and posslble n~w SRO
developme~t 11 the downtown area. The Com~;ttee ~as met on severil occasions.
and reviewed ffve drift reportsr Ibis report (~l~i~ates the final concl~sions
and Committee re,ammendations to the City (oun<il aD Pila Alto's SRO hotels.
[m summar1, the C~mmittee retommends tnat tne (ouncil consid€~ tne following:
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1. Identtff'ition of SRO hotels is an impo'1"tant element ef the CitJ"s
low income housing stock ift the (itJ;s state-mdndated HOQsing
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£lement
1990) ;
" up~ ,sthedu1ed for Citl Council
2. Commit arlmiBlstrative an4 technical assistance ~la Palo Alto Housing
Corporat1o~ and Cit1 staff resources to assist SRO hotel owners i~
obtai~tn9 available federal and state grants a~d loans for seismic
re~abllitation. generil upgrading and additions t~ ex;sting SRO
facilities;
3. Commit the water tower site located at the southeast corner ef Alma
Street and Hawthorne Avenue for a new SRO development.
T~f Sll'_GLE,~OOI4 __ OCCUPANCY ~OTEl
'a10 Alto's SRG Hotels and their Residents
Tn genera'. a variet, of temporary/permanent bomeless, near-homeless and
low-income persons inhabit single-room occupancy hote1s. r~ P_10 Alto's case.
the majority of SRO res;de~ts are comprised of low-income p~ople or t~e
·~orking poor~~ The following imformation has been obtained fro~ a 1987
report prepared by t~e Urban JIIinistry's Directo·r .. Jim Burklo. Thfs study.
entitled ·SRO; A Endangered Species Of Housing. A Report On The f~ture of SRO
Hotels ja Palo Alto· is included ia Appendix A~
Th~re are 208 SRO hotel units im four downtown botels in Palo ATto--the Bark~r
Hohl, the (.ri.fg, the Palo Alto and the Cardirlal. The l1ajority ~f these units
are occupied by ~orking people, ~ostt, ~ith Jo~ incomes. fortI-four percent
of Palo Alto·s SRO residents are users of t~e Urban ~i~istry's Downtown food
Closet {May J987}, vhfc. suggests t~at these are very low-income people. Many
of these vtsftors are employed 10cal11. The study also found that some of the
food Closet wisitors .ma live 1. the SROs are the homeless who are able to
sta, il t~e ~otels on1, part of eac~ mont~. Approximatet, 10 percent of t~e
SRO units are occupied by s~Rfors on a Jon~-term bas;s~ Numerous peopJe ~t~
psycTliatric and pbysical disabilities. live ill He ~otels. paying rent 'Wit"
their dlsab,lit, checls from Social Security or the Veterans Administration.
A very few Clf tfle reSldents are families conslsting of one llarent and one
c\ild living on ~eTfare ~upplementedv;th part-time wort. The majorftJ of
residents ire workfcg peopT~ ~ith ~odest-paying jobs. some of ~hom are cnl, a
paycheck away from ~omelessness.
The SRO batels are serving some of the ~eedlest members of the cornmunit, by
offering cfleap. flexible. alternatillf housing riot iViilable elsew~ere. SRO
hotels accommodate those who have irregular or in5~fficient income.
Requirements fa standard rental apartments such is rent pre-payment. 'ast
month rent~ securitJ depo~lts. time lags and tenancjI commitments are
unrealistic for most low-income people.
A more recent survey of downtown SRO tenants {included ~ SRO tenants from the
Barier. the (rii; and t~e PilQ Alto) was prepared im June 1989 by students of
the PoHtical and Sociil Issues Class fro'1 Stanford Uni'"w'ersity (see Appendix
B} •
The students found t~at flalf of the residents 1l'!ltenTewed
other bousing options beSides renting t~e furmlshed hotel
left homeless ~thout the 512Q per weet li~ing quarters~
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said they had no
rooms and ~ould be
Over half the
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respondents 511d t~ey ~5ed more than 40 percent of t~efr income to co~er rent~
The surve, indiclted that these residents are p~o~le who work i~ loc~l
husinesses, restaurants and on the Stanfo~d Cimpus. [ighty percent of the
respondents _ere males between the ages 20 and 49.
Desc,lptlon of an SRO Hotel
Jhe federal government deffnes an SRO room IS ~A unit w~ic~ contains no
sa~itaT~ facilities O~ food preparitio~ facllities, or whic~ (ont~ins one but
not bot~ types of facilities~ and ~ic~ is s~itable for occ~panc1 by a single
fligible individual capable of independent li~in9.·
Hotels generalt, are consf~ered, for ~'annlng purposes. a "transient
occupanc)-~se; however. most of the SRO hotel residents in downtown PilQ Alto
~a~e bee~ lfy;ng, Qff and on, im one or more of t~e hotels for ~any mont~s or
eve' years_ Accordi"~ to bot~ the 1987 Urban Ministry Study and the 1989
Stanford SurveYt ver) few SRO units. per~aps 2 percent at most. are occupied
by business visttors or tourists.
The generIc SRG ~otel~$ phySical 1iyout ~suallJ includes a small 10bby ~ich
is dominated by & $ec~red -bank teller-5tJted~ cas~ler area. £ac~ individual
room is IIstla11y no larger tf\an 12'0 square feet~ Ilthough the mirllmum size is
specified by the UDifora Building Code is }O square feet. Included il the
room fs a sink .... hi-refdgeratiJ .... (sometimes. a ~ot plate}, bed,. fan, closet
and television. 11tc~en and bat~roo~ facilities are co~unal. thus
differentlatiog t~e SRO botel from a regular hotel or ~otel.
,.10 Alto's SRO Hotels
Pil~ Alto's SROs ire located i~ downtown and are identified as the Crafg, Palo
Alte .. ind t~e Barler. The Cardi"al Hotel ~s also determined by the Committee
to be 'an SRO flotel since ~t displays similar clluacteristics to the other
UreE!'. However. the present occupancy (If thls hotel, ,is pel"'cehed by the
management firm that operates the (ardinal~ is predorninantlJ transient im
"ature rather t~an long· term. for t~e p~rpose of dis<Yssion ~t~il this
report, the Comn1ttee concluded that tne Cardinal should be included as an SRO
hotel. However. the Comm1ttee felt that certail recom~ndations (ontaioed
~t~fft thts report (i.e.~ ~aiver of the transient occupancy tax) should not be
applied to the Cardinal Hotel until such time as t'he Cardinal's oc{upancy
characteristics ~ore cear11 re>embles the Barker. (rilg and Pila Alto.
The following provldes a brief de~ri~tion of ~ach SRO hotel_
The Barier-
T~e Barler, .hich fs owned by locil developer Jim Baer~ is located at 439
fmerson Street and ~as built im 1925_ A small door at street lewel provides
an entrance to the nohl whfch is on the second floof'" above s-everal convnerchl
U$es. The Barker bas 22 rooms. Residents at the Barler pay $275 a mont~ f~r
rooms yithout bat~$ [16 units) or 5475 I month for ooe of the four rooms W1t~
a bath_ Small refrigerators are pf'"eSe~ti however. hot ,lates are not a1lnwed.
The building is f~ need 0f a seismic upgrading {Category I}. An exception to
He floof' area ntio (FAR) 11mHs :in the Commercial Downtown District zone
regulations ~as adopted to encourage seismic re~abilitation_ The exception
lllows i 25 percent increase i! fAR or 2,500 square feet~ wh;chewer is
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greater. to be added .ithout providing parting if i qualifying bu11di~g is
stismicl111 upgraded. The Barker Hotel 1S expected to undergo seismfc
upgrading ;1 1990·91.
The Craig~
The Critg Is located it 164 Hamilton A~enue and _as built im 1963. It has
beeA owned by the II'aas (orpontiorl for abo',/e 3-0 years. The (riig cOrltains 63
units. Tbe current room rites are SJ2S per week ~;t~out bath and $155 i week
wit~ i bath. The weetT, rite ~as increased by SIC within a t~o-year period.
The average roo~ is approximatel, S' x 15' and contains a TW, small
refrigerator~ doubTe bed i closet t sink and fan. Common <ooking facilities are
located on the gro~nd floor.
The Pal. Alto·
The Pil. Alto {also owned bJ [. ~. ~aas} is located at 425 High Street and ~.s
built id 1965. It closely resembles the Craig im respect to its
hterior/exterior l.i.,YDut. but is iI little smaller with 5g rooms~ Weekl)' rO{lm
rate wit~out • bath is 1131 (130 per light) aod ~ith • bath 1154. At 135 per
.ig~t, t~e rate ~as increased bJ SIC ~ithia a two-year period. Sixty-seven
percent ~f t~e rooms are rented for less than a ~oDth. The room size averages
S' I 12 r and inclades a small refrigerator~ fa~. closet, sink, TW and double
bed.
The Cardillal-
The (ardfrla' is located at 23; Hamilton P.,lienue and tlas 64 unHs. ]t was. bunt
;n 1924 and was designed by Pile Altm's famed arc~ite't Birge {lark. American
Hotels nas a lease to operate the ~otel until 1990. The firm does not
consfder t~e Cardf8al a typical SRO becaus! of the nature Qf their clients and
the difference il t~e p~ysical liyout fro~ the Qt~er SROs, attributed t~ the
presence of iI large opeR lobby. However, there are sfmilirlties with t~e
other SROs. For hlstance:. 'fIalf the rooms do not provide batt:Js. Those -wit"
baths reot for 140 per light (1220 per ~e\). Those ~jthout baths rent for
130 per eight (1140 per ~e.k). According t. the Urban ~i.'stry's 1997 Survey.
there are a number ~f tenants ~ho ~a~e lived there (O~ ~veral years and they
receive a dlsco~nt {about 75% of the rooms are for long-term residents}. Some
have bee~ there (or 20 years_ The Cardi~al ~as bot~ Category Ir Selsmic ind
'istoric statuses. Its (ategory II selsmic status allows a 25 percent
increase i. fAR or appreximately 9,000 additional square f€et, to be added
without proyidicg parking if the building is seismicallJ upg·raded.
What Other Cltles Have Oooe
During the J~st ten years, there ~as been i trend to redevelop SRO botels
throughout the eountry_ A number ~f larger Califorsia cities have adopted
or~inances to address gentrificatjon~ conversion and/or demolition ~f SROs_
r~o years ago~ San Diego eased building regulations and parking requirements
11 ~rder to promote preservation of its SRO hotels_ The re5~lt has bee~ the
reno~ation of 15 downtown SRDs and construction of fnur new hotels ~t~ the
help mf city-ffAa"ced lnw-interest loans. los Angeles has helped establish i
private. nonprgfit Housing Corpo~atlon ~hicb operates II SRO hotels. San
F-ranclS<:i!) and Berkeley prohibit the demolition of these hotels unless the
units aN! re,placed elsewhere. Both cHies tla\le de\leloperj rent ca,p ordil"lan<:es
i~ order to mai~tail the affordable rents characteristic of SRGs_ A synopsis.
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of eath of t~e~e citfes' o(~i~ances is included i~ Appendix ( of th15 report.
Alternative. Considered By The Committee
The Committee deliberited ~t lensth the pros and cons of establishing I
CD~verston Dr demolition ordinance comparable to those contained fm Appendi)
(. Two of the three SRO property owners, Jim Baet and E. ~. ~aas, were
questioned by the Committee is to their f~ture intentions to convert. Both
owners strongl1 indicated a desire to retain the facl1ities as SRO hotels. but
bot~ owners ~ere equall, adamant fa their opposition to the imposition of I
con!Jtrsion ordinance O~ their use~ hi addition to owner oppos;tfon. sfnce
efffctive conversion ordinances generall) iDvai~e rent <ontral, w~ich was not
co~sfdered palatable by the Committee~ the tomrnittee opted not to recommend i
conversion ordinance similar tl) San Diego~s 0," San Francisco.
The Committee stron9l, supported assistance to SRO hotel owners fa," any
funding programs for rehabilftation or new construction, snoold t~at be
feasible. The State Df (aliforlil has (reated a ~ew program specificall, for
SROs il its (altforoia ~ousing Rehabilitation Progra~ (CHRP)~ The owner mf
the Barker has submitted an application to the Rental Re~abilitatfoo Progra~
(RRP) to ~elp >rtth the oecessarl seismic upgrading of that ~otel. The St.te
also ~as i Spec,.l User Housing ~~~abil;tation Program for whic~ applications
can be made for law interest r~te loans for rehabilitation. The New Housfng
Deve}opment fund of the CDSS program could help im pre-development cost
assochted with u'e d'ewelopment of I new SRO. h addition t He City's Rental
Housfng AcqulsitioD Frogr~ (RHAP) and Housing Reserwe Funds could be wttlized
for acqlJiriD9 iPl exfsttng SRO !lOtel should t~a_t need occur illl the hture. A
more detal1ed djsc~ssion gf t~e financing that is i~~11able for SRO~ is j~
Appendix 0"
The Coo:mlttee also discuss.ed economfc fncentf~es .. such as exer.:ption (rOrl
pariing assessment fees for SRG hotels ~t~ln the downtown parking assessment
district, coatfngent upon an agreement wit~ SRO ~wners t~at the propertfes
~air.tilft their present ~se_ Curre~tl1. the four identified SROs ire ~a}ing
iota t~e Universit, Avenue Parking Assessment District. Table 1 (refer tD
Table • j~ Appendix r, s~o~s the amount of issessme~ts and assessed square
footage for these hotels located ~ithi! this district. Accordlng to owners 9
Jim Baer and E. M. ~aas~ this ~ould be i substantial commitment for propertl
owners to make for an annual fee waiver ~f S4,QOO-Sll,OOO_ However t there was
greater receptfvit, for -locking fl-an SRO y~ as an incentive for the
de .... elopment of new SRO llotel s wit .. no iissessment district participation
requirementL
Another economic incentfv! co~sidered by the Commlttee was to exempt SR~ from
the (it¥~s tranSient occupancy tax requirement~ The City of Paio Alto is
currently cDllectfng I ]0 percent transient occupanc, ta~ on its 3]
hotels/motels. Persons who stay for less than i 30-day period are subject to
this tax. SRO residents pa) i disproportionate amount of tnls tax hecaus!
the~ ~ave f~terruptions im th~ir tenancy. According t~ Jim Burklo's ]981
study. a conservati~e estimate of the transient occupancy tax paid annually by
people who ~i~e it least one ef1sode of hornelessness per year is $24~OOO.
About 10 p~~ce~t cf the ~ne1 used by local SQ(ill ser~1ce agencies tG provide
housing it botels for the homeless Qoes for t~ls tax. I" 1989 p the Craig,
Barker. Palo AltD and Cardinal hotels paid 1a excess of 550,000 i~ transient
occupancJ taxes.
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r~e C3rdi"al R~tel pa~s suhstantial., ~ore transient occu~anc1 tax. ~~fch
(o"ncurs wiUa the ma"a9~ment~s ilssertion that most of its clientele are
transient. for this reason. t~e Committee felt that the (ardi~al Hotel was in
i differeDt category fro~ the ct~er t~ree 5RO~. Because of the potential
dollars -wfl1c.1I cotJTd be diverted' to SRO rEsidEfltS. t~e Committee il!itill1,
recommended that the Council consider the waiver of transient occupancy taxes
for the Barter. Craig and Palo Alto hotels. Ji~ Burklo of the Urban ~inistry
felt that t~e waf~er of t~e transient occupancy tax could result l' it least
SlQ per ... eel uyings fof' the S~O hotel tenanL Upon reviel.tl (If Uds
recomme~datfoD by t~e (It, Attorney's Offfce, however~ it is staff;s opi~ion
that waiver ~f the tranSient occupancy ta~ 1S ;~feasible. Suc~ a waiver ~ould
requfre I redef11itfon of the transiEnt occupancy for ill hot€ls fl the Cit,.
Whfch could ~ave far-reac~iog implications on the City's hotel tax revenues.
Rew SRO Opportunltle.
It vas the opimioD pf the Committee that the demand for SRO-type hous'ng fir
exceeded t~e present supply. Consequently. the City <ould also assist in
sponsoring I Dew SRO hotel project. The tity;s contribution could be a
combi~ition of land, constructioD loans, relaxation of spetific code
requirements, assistance in permit reviewing, and lowered application and
permit fees. Currentl,. the (itl~s Real Estite Department ;s rev7e~ing the
deposition Qf the Cit,'s ~ater tOWEr ,ite located at the sout~east corner of
Alma Street and Hawthorne Avenue (see Ex~,blt 1). The site contains 8,431
square feet (15.112.5) and is curre,t1,zoned Public F.(iliti.s (PFJ. The
Committee found t~at this site presented ~ ~nique opportunit1 for the Citl to
develop a new SRO hotel. The Committee cited t~e City of San Diego's success
wit. jofot SRO developments im conjunction with n~nprofit co~porat;ons. San
Diego rece~t11 deyelope~ twa SROs ~n small parcels; one is on a
S,DOD-square-foot site (a t.tOOD-sQuare-foot ~uilding wit" 63 units) a~d
another fs on a l~~OOO-squarE·foot site (a 32,OOD-s~uare-foot bUllo10g with
140 units). Bot~ developments are four stories and are built propertJ l~ne to
property line ~t" interior co~rt1ards.
CONCLUSIONS
I~ summary. the tommittee on Single-RoDm Occupancy hotels ~as concluded that:
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J. T~ere is a ~19h unmet need for low-income housing iD Palo Alto. The
subcommittee bel:eves there should be a strong corr~itment to retain
the few downtown SROs that exist and to provide ~ew housing
opportunities for low-income persons if feasible.
2. Commercfl' distTlctS in the proximity of downtown ire apprcpriate
locations for s;ngle-rop~ occupa~c1 ~otels. fssentfal ser~ices ire
prDvi~ed for low-intorne persons suc~ i5 transportatio"~ jobs and
!1eiltll and welfare s-er,ices.
1. Under present regulations, tne SRO hotels within the downtown area
could be converted t~ ct~er ~s€s~ demolished, rebuilt or
rehabilitated to an ·ypscale" facility or another use. T~ere fs
presentl, DO ordi~ance protection fro~ (ooversions~ However. Palo
AltQ is fortunate in tnat we have strong commitment from two SRO
owners to retlin the existlog uses indefiDltely. Finally. the
polfel implications of con .... ersion ordi"ances. and particularly n:nt
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control. were thou9~t tD negatl~e11 outwe;g~t at thi~ tfme. the
benefits of suc~ convers~ons.
fQMI!EIfE RECOfotlENOA 11 ONS
I. I~entlfic.tion of SRO hotels is an important element of the (;t1;5
lc~-incQme ~ou~ing 5toc~ ;a the state-mandated June 1990 Housing
£1ement updated (s.cheduled for City Councll consideration on June
2S, 1990},
2. COlYIT!it admillhtntilll! and technic.al assistance ,,'ia Palo Alto Hous;ng
Corporation and (;t1 staff resources to assist SRO hotel owners in
obtaillng Ivailable federal and state grants and loans for seismic
rehabilitation. general upgrading and additfons to existing SRO
facilities;
3. C~it the water to~er 51te located at the 50ut~eist corner of A1ma
Street and Rawthorne Avenue for a new SRO development.
Respectf.ll, submitted~
The Committee Revfewicg Pa10 Alto~s Single·Room D<cupanc~ Hotels
Pa1Q ATt0, CaliforlJi
SYU IA SEMAft JI~ BURKLO
[xec~tive O;rector~ PAHC fxec~tive Director~ Urban
"'irilistry
BOB WOOOS
Board ~r. Ruman Relations
Commission
KARLENE PRENOfRGAST
Board ~ember, PAHt
NANCY SHIPUY RON HALL
Board' )!{ember I HYman Re 1 at ions
{ommission
Baard "ember. PAHC
(AROt JAN SEN JANE HAl,y
(,ief Planning Official Human Services AdmiBlstrator
Attachments: Exhibit 1. location of Water Tower Site
Appendix A. SRO: An Endangered Species of ~ousing
Appendix B~ A Profile of Residents Living i8 the
Slegle-Rao. Occupancy Hotels Df Palo Alta
Appendix (J Ot~er City Ordina~es
Appendi. D. A~ailible financing
Appendix E, Table J SRO ~ctel Uses ~it~iQ Farling
Assessment Districts
cc:: Jim !laer
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E. A. Maas, 18 E. ~aim Street, los Gatos, CA 9S03D
fred fyerTy. ("af~an. PalQ Alto Condoml~jum Owners Associat;on
101 Alma Street, Pal. Alt" (A 94301
~s. ~ar;oD Fritz9 ~anager~ (ardir.al Hotel, 235 Hamilton Avenue, Paio
A]t., CA 94>0)
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5.1.0.: .~ E.O"GEREO SPECIES OF HOUSI'G
,l. &,EfOii:T Ot'l TtlE rUTUJ:[ or SINGlE ;:00'1. OCCLIPANCY HOTELS IIC' PALO
HTO
by
Cicdy Dawis. ~tud~~~ intern
Jim Barklo. Mi~ister/Direc~or. Orba~ Hinistry of Palo Alto
9/1/87
StO Hotels as 80usiLg
Sj~gle roc~ occmpanCJ botels are an impo.tGot source of permaoent
hoosicg for peo,le in Palo AltQ_ rh~J are aa e~daogered species
in oar commcnitl~s hoasicg ecology. ~ell-serviog a~ established
p~rt of o~r pop~latioa_
SiO botels do COt meet tbe criteria of the U.S. CeDS~s Eu[~ac cr
HUD for Gefioitioa as "standard ~I'1Dt;lsillg" becatlse (be lLaits lac\:
their a~& \i~cbeps~ barbs, aQ~ toiJet facilities. lut for ~aGf
peo?ie. SiD botels are tbe hODSiog of choice. SiO?s offee 2
Lniq~e combi~atioc of privacJ and communal living. For macy SRO
~es~deDts locallJ. the alternatite afforcable noosing option is
~o sb~re a ho~se or apartmect ~itb corelated cdalts --a
lifestJl~ t~at is diffic~lt or inappropriate for ma~y~ if not
1ll0St .. 'pecpl~~
~oteIs le.erall} are cocsidered, for
"t~2nsiE~t oc<gpaD~l~ cse. But this Caes
S~O botels. M~st of ~he SED residents
pIa n n 1_1; g po u r p 0 5 e s. a
Dot ac2~ratelJ des~ribe
i~ Palo alto baTe bee~
li.i~g. off amd OB. io one Dr more of tbe botels for mac! ~o~t~s
0[" years. Very ie:..t SiO '~Ilits --perb2ps 2% at ,",ost --2re
~ccopiet " busivess ~isitor5 or tooris~s_ cor most S£O
re5ide:lts .. tbe hotels are tbeir primary source .of bcusisg. a~d
tbeir li.eli~ood and cornm~nitl llfe is centered In Palo Alto. A
similar sitoatioll is true la SRO botels nacioQlo'ide-. and 'It is
vbat m~ti.ates efforts by manJ cities to pre~erve tbe~ from
eiimi~a:ioa by marlet forces.
Tb~re .are 208 •• its of SiO booslllg lEI foor oO">1too;O botels 10
P~lo llco. ho~siRS a di~erse portion of o~r pop~lalion_ The
!CaloritJ of tbese uoits are occttpied hJ .'orldcg pEot'Ie~ mostly
with moderate or lo~ incomes. L'% of P210 Aleo's SRO resideQts
ace lISel"S of t:lle Dalolnto-oo'lIIo food Clos~t is Palo ~leo {Ma, 1981) ..
l.'oic1l sCluests tJtat these are ~er5 I01.l-iBcorne people;. b~\,Ie.er.
manJ of ~~ese Food Closet ~isitors .are employed locally. So~e of
the Si?:O cf~l!'llE'rs .... bo are food Clos~( lIisicars 02!'"!;! the homeless
",'bo a!"e i!~le [0 ilfford to st.a' lEI tbe hot.el.s o,d~ p~r[ of e.ac~
mo~th_ up to 10% of che ~Oit; .are occeptea b. se~io~5. ~ostl. 00
~ loo~-t~~m '2si5 .• ~~~rocs peo~Ie ~ir~ ~s?c~iatr~c ~=t ~~~E~CE!
d-isatJilities l'iT!'::o t~e r.o .. e~~. ;a:::!!:'i;. !~n: --"-... ~:=
dlsa~11!tJ c~ectE IrG~ 50ci~1 ~= ~~~
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Admi~iscratioa_ A _ecJ fev of tbe residects are (~milies
CODsisti.! of o.e pare.~ ~ad one child 1~Y1Dg C~ ~elfare
scpple~e.ted vit~ part-~ime work_ 5~t the majority appe~r to te
~orlicg people in modestl~-p~JiDB jobs~ $oce of whom are oal, ~
p~rcbeck a~aJ tro~ ho~el~sscess.
Tbere are maQ1 ~ore thac 208 pe~ple ~bo ~oole ideotifJ one or
~notfuer of tbe ~otels as tbeir o~&oiQg ho~e addres~_ Tbese
-extra-resiieots are those ~erl lo~-income people ~~o speed part
of t~eir liT~s iQ tbe hotels ~hile tbe, ca~ afford it 2C' the
rest of tneir .isbts ca~pinz in the bashes or sleeping ia cars io
Palo Alto ~Qtil tbe ce~t check arri~es. Other hextra~ residents
are tbose ""be are instittJtiocali-zed off and 0::1 for exceeded
periods --V.A_ aQd 5.S.I. recipie~ts ~cd other~. Otb~rs are
E~plOll!d it\ seasocal trades that brin,g tbem back tc! Palo. 1.lto
e.etJ Jear for periods of seyeral r.onchs.
The SRD bote Is in Falo Alto i~clcde some ~riminals amODg their
cecaats. Most ~f tbem are trne tr2ssie~cs; tbe long-term
resiaect 'ri~inals soon figd tbemselves on tne h~tels· ·~lack
books·_ 111 foar hotel ~a~agerneets presently t2ke 2C actiye ~ole
ig ,reyeBti~g or stopping drGg Bse~ dr~g sale5, a~d prostit~tioo.
But ~~ese Bcti.ities are problematic for the~. 2S veIl as for
maoa&ers ao4 1~1!11ers of other tinds of hoc sing. Ome of the
adva~tages of management of SiQ ~otels bJ partoersbips of pri Y 2te
O"'l1lers all4 lIoR-Irotit agencies hO!s bee!l tbe bi~her Ie .. el of
o~ersig~t that socb a tee~ ca~ p~o~ide.
Tbe Fatare of S20 Soteis an' Otber 8ocsiol for tow-In~ome People
The sbortage <!lad extreme e:r:,Peose of hOlJsiog f~'r. m':laer2te-and
lov-i~come peo,le ia the Hid-PeBioscla is ~ell-knowa. !lthoogh
reats haTe sta\ilized some~bat i~ rece~t Jears, tbey have le.eled
00 a hi~~ ~lateaa_ Also. maDJ landlords ",bo ooce tolerated
~olJbljn~-gp of indi.idcal ceoaats or famili~s in hOlJsicg eoits CD
lo~&er allov tbis practice; tbe res~lting sudde~ e .. ictioes of
5ub-teoaats ~bo lack tbe protectioas of tbe te~ants of record is
oae ~f ~be primary i~mediate caCSE5 of nQ~elessness locally.-
IB tbe miast of tbis oll@oiBB; tigbt ho~siog r.12rket .. e:ristiag
s~bsi4iz~d ~nit5 aDd la~~r-cOSt oaits arE tbreateeed ~itb
~~n'lersiam !eatrific2tioQ. or demolition. ~ation'-'ide~ macl e.un
finaDced or so .. eromemt subsidi2ed ceits are retcroing to Qarket
rate bocsiD.8 statas. ,-'!lile t't:e. federal go~ernrnent bas .mot made
~o~siDB s~pport a 9rioritl_ There co~timoes to be 2 ~a!e ~aitieg
list (wbi,& is aoc acceptiag Ee~ ~ames) for the Section 8 hocsicg
5~bsid, ,rosraq ia Saeta Clara CQont~_ Pockets of lQuer-cos~
priwate ~o~si.1 in-the Mid-Prainsola 2re beieg ~ulldo%ed far
iDdascrial 'eY~lap~eQt e,ea i. tbe midst of a &l~tte~ 10(21
~arket for ,12Bt5 20d offices.
of
.:::-e
tbe carreQt s1toati~~. ~os[ 2a~oCatEs fer lo~-j~to~e
~occentraticg oc 5~~1~g ~h~[ ~~fo[i2~le h,c~~:~ is
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leEt lor lcw-icco~~ 9~cple. as opposed to foc~ssic8 on
de.elo,ne~t of new ~Qits. Comma~i[ies are respoQdi~g ~o the
tbreats to e~istj~& la~-i~cg~e hcc~ins s[Qck ~ith oey public
prIvate Ye~tures. Special non-profit agencies, in part~ership
.... ito pril'ace Olofners and d'ere!opers. bay,", sprung tlp spec.ifically
~o preserve siegle room oecapaoe! botels from ~li~ination by
market Corees. This is beieg ~one to preserre aDd enbacce the
overall be~ltb of downtewa ~re~5; SEa hotels provide a special
kind of needed hocsicg vbicb might veIl disappear vithout t~e
active efforts of the cities.
Palo Alto 1 s downto~n area is a steadily irnprovin& commercial
district v~ere leases and ,copere, valces are at a high le.el.
Yerj fe~ retail spaces are left vacant for long. Expec5iv~
cccdomicium units ha.t: been built in the do .. r.to .. :l. ar.o;:a in recent
years. T~e real estate climate of do~ntown Palo ftlto ~as already
pressed £~e SRO ~oosi~g providers to ~harge ~Qusualll bigh rates.
A~ SEQ room in Palo Alto costS about fo~r-fifths of a montbly
Social Secaric1 disab~lity check. Iccreasing valces aDd ccsts
may Gri'e SiO o~oers ~eJond rate levels vh1Cb StO reSidents can
~fford. a~d may make sale or cooversion to etber uses a mofe
wiable ecoQomic optiOd. ~bile tbe City bas made ao e2pli~it
commitment to maincaiQicg 2nd iocreasir.g its bousicg stOck. it
has not Jet made a specific com~itrneo~ tQ the mainteoance of its
SiO boasing s~,pIJ. SiO's baTe net yet been iQcl~ded in Palo
!lto~s ~efimitioB of ftoaosingn.
Tbe jobs-boasimg imbalacce in Palo !lto ~ould be forcher
e~acerlated bJ aaJ loss of SiD hoasing. Particularl, affected
voald be reSLa&rants a~d small bnsinesses wb~Ch cepeDd 00 a
lo .... er-c·osc lallor ~oal Io'hicb is hc,nseci partl"j ..... in SIi:O botels.
!~ain~ tbe City is ccm~itted ~o alleria~icg cte jobs-bousing
imbalaDce. but SiO hocsillg b<!s not let been iact:)red io to tbat
<o;nmitrcellt.
Of ~he foor S!O botels ia Palo Alto, the Barke! Borel is the cne
most likely to jlose a c£cision for tbe City .ao-'J::It the ftlttlre of
S~O boosing. The Earker is faced ~it~ expeo~ive St~octcral
lmp~o.eweQts to meet earLhquake 5afe~, stacdards set by the Cicy.
Ir has suffered maintenance and ~ana8ernect proble~s recently. a~d
Io'bile botb are i~proving. (be botel is still faci~g pb,sical and
fica~cial Gifficolty. without go.ernmect~ p~blic, ~od pri,ate
effocts. ~be OWGer ~3' ba.e ~o fina~cial ind~ce~e~[ to coctieoe
<Jpecat.ing ~be !ati:er as 000. SI!:O bctf'l.
Ie [me case of the Barker Botel~ a source of belp ~aJ be
a~aila~le in t~e form of the Speci21 User Eoosisg Rebabilicati~~
Program of ~be Oepar~ment of £005108 acd CommcnitJ Oevelop~e.~ of
the Stace of Califoraia. SUBi? pre.ides low-iDteres~ loans for
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Q O F . -r· reba'ilit~ ion a~d pr~~e[vatioo of 5 botels. Ie <oosideraticn i
~f tbe lo~-cos~ mOOEf~ the ceets of the bOtels are stabilized fer
[be l.r3tiOQ of the loaas. Loaos are IDade to ,rivate O~E~rs or
developers, to non-profit eotities, or to p~rtnersnip5 of t~e
t~o. In order to make ~se of this program or other meacs to
pcesecye the Barker. ao i~tecsive pablie a~~ private cooper~ti~~
effort will ~eed to begia.
SRO D~ellers 2Dd the Homeless
, sta~r eOCE io 1986 iB S3n Diego by its Honsicg CommissicQ
inlic3te~ that 35% of S;O botel residents in tbat Cit! indicated
that vitbin t~~ previoDs 12 months cbey bad lived corda~es at
least ODe Bight. This corresponds ~itb the e2perieoce of th~
~rbaft MinistrJ of Palo Alto. ~here maDJ of tbe bcrneless 6rop-i~
visitors live in tbe SRO"hotels wbeo the] have ~ooey fgr bousi~g.
A tJ9Ical mcathly pattern for a chroolcallJ bo~eless person is to
spead tvo or thrEe weeks in tbe botel ~nd the otber ~eek or wee\s
on ~he street~ ~&til the cext c~etk comes. Such ~eople have
incomes from jobs or disahility~ out cannot afford aD ecrir~
montb·s rent ia the hotel --or anJwhere else in their com~ucit,.
Thws. maa, of tbe bomeless do io f2ct have ho~es: tbe S&O
botels. Ttey are simply enable to alfor~ tneif homes all th~
tillle. \ribeu tbe!.Y C2i:1 afford thell. t1:;el rno\'€ back iDto tbelT,. Tee
SiO botels are serving some of [be n~ediest members of Oar
~omm~8it1 bJ beies a fle~i~le kind of hoosicg that is simpl, nat
available otherwise. SiO ~oDsiag accommoda~es tbose ~bo-~al~
irr~!mlar or iosafff~ieat iBcomes, adjQs~ii8 [0 [be te~~at~s
Deeds -:Ie. a olle-Dig,ht ba.sis; other bOtlsing r~tlires cfep'::IsiLS ..
time lags~ and tenancy commitments Lh~( are nnrealistic for ver1
iov-ie~ome p~ople.
Palo .lIt.o Ta1es [lie Bomeless: The Trar.sie!'l[ Q.CCt:r:P3QCY Ta.x
As is tJpical of ~os[ cities, Palo Alto ta.xes ~otel and motel
seals of 1e:;s tban oee mooth 'by 10'% of tbe rellt. Afre-r ti::e
iDitial month, t~e [ax is not levied. Bomeless people pc! a
disproportiocate amoubt cf this ta.x beca~se [hey h2.e
iD[erraptions ia their teD30cy ia botels 2~d motels. T~is [2X 1S
a borde~ laid partit~larl, ~,o~ [be ho~eless. ! conserv~[ire
esti~ate of tbe tra~sieo[ octcpancJ tax P21d anooai11 b! pecpl~
who ~aye at least OQ~ epis~de of bo~elesscess ia a Je~r ,5
S2&aOOO~ Tbis is b2Seod 00 ttle eamber of -visitors to tbe DO";lJtc'-~
Foo4 Closet ~bo decla~E tbe SRO botels 2S tbeir 2dcre5ses.
cssnminl tbat naIf of them ~ill baTe ao incidemt of bo~eless~~ss
~t least once oyer the CQar5~ of a year. r~ere ~re ocher more!S
in ~ow. vbich bOUSe! ~omeless people ~~o also pay t~e tax_ ,150.
10% of ~be ~oael ~sed by local s~cial ser~ice a~encies (0 ;ay ~or
botel aDd motel S~2!S for tbe homeless Eoes for tbe [2~ .
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s~o Eotels in Palo Alto: Descriptio~s
Tb~re are fOQC single roorn occupaccJ hotels ia downtow~ Palo
Alto~ all ~ithiD a fev blocls of each ocber 00 either side of
Uni.ersitJ 'wecue. Two of tbem, t~e Falo. Alto aDd CraiB~ are
o\lael! by E~ A. Haas' Pacific Botels cbaill bi!lsed in tos Cato,S.
These tva botels are tbe aever of tbe foor acd are phJsically
similar to others io the Haas botel chaic, whicb iocludes seyerzl
SiO hotels aod motels along the Penins~la. The ma~agers of the
Palo Alto 3a4 [be Craig share a cammOR "black book P of people
~beJ viII ROt allow to cetara to tbe hotel bec~~se of bad
be~a.ior. Eotb hotels ~a.e commoa cooking facilities downsczirs;
ofte2. teaaats will create informal sh$red meal arra~gemeQts_
The (arliaal Hotel bas ~o commo~ or in4iwideal coo~jag
facilities. I~s lO'~J ~as [e~e~~11 remodeled aad i~ ue(e[Wen~ a
camJaila to attraCt lODg-term senior ~ena~ts. b~t the 4iYersit1
of its clj~!lt~le bas c.ot Inac-I'l ctlaaged since these ~ffol'"ts. Toe
Barkel'" Hotel is sigaificastly smaller tbao the otber tbree
botels. I~ tb~ t~5t ,ear it has b€en plag~ed ~J bad ma~~gew.e~~
aad ioee ~ai~teDaQCe. whicb ar~ cow beiog re~edied bI tbe o~c.er_
T~e Earker faces si~aificant renabilitation cost~~for ea[~bqaake
safetJ improyemeDts. ace tbe CardiQal faces lesser expeases for
~eetiaz e2r~bqQa~e sta~dar~s~
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Bee-i:ee Hotel
'39 Emerson
::: (lass I seismic bazar4 (~orst bazard le.el)
~ 23 reoms; I for nacager~ 2 not in cse d~e to remodelicg (8/87);
4 vi[~ batb/sho~er
a 9% of resi~eats {2 iQdi.id~als} ~re Dow~towQ Food Clo~et ~sers
(M'r. 19B7)
; ~c CO~~OB <ooi:iag facilities (mana2er n~ed to ~ook for
residects from bis anit. loardiR~-bouse style~ bat does so DO
loager); refrigel'"o1tOl'"S (small} ttlt tlO botplates io co'oms
::: ~ co,oms. rented for several 1ears
~ 2 rooms reQted [0 se~iors (8/87) ~
Rates;
~ S27Sf~o v/oot bath (16 eQits ie ~5e)
~ S'75/mo ~itb bath (' units)
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Cardinal Botel.
235 i1~l1'oiltoll
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* Class II seismi~ hazard scale (~eccDd ~ost sever~ str~ctcral
n3t:3 td)
~ 64 'Gaits
: 11% of resi4eats (9 iDdi9idoals) are Dowctown food Closet .sers
(Mar 1981)
~ 10 co~mo. COO~iB8 facilities; BO cooxicg Dr refri8eE~tors
allo~ed im rooms
* '99licatioBs ic~iC3ti8& sogrce ~f iccome are req~ired for SC3!5
of IODgeT [faaa 3,0 4aJs~
~ aboat 75% of rooms are lor 10c! teTID reside 0 r's.,:.:. .. so~e ha.e beet!
Lbere for 20 Je~rs.
~ t02 are recced [0 semiors.
tates:
~ $lOOI .... k .... ithorJt. batb
~ S120/wk~ larger room ~ithoat bath
~ $35fDi&bt~ $lSO/wk~ .... ftb b~tb (about bali t~e oaies)
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~ S~aior ra~e. ~360fmo vIc ba~h~ :380 l~Iger vIc b3tb. S~~O ~
baotll
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.:: 63 1I111ts
Crail. Hotel
r6<5 Bamiltoo
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~ 56% of r~si(~ats (34 iedivid~a15) are Dowato~n food Closet
t:sers {Hal 1981}
~ Commo~ <Qo\img fa~ilities on grocna floor
~ 85l ~f rOO~5 2~e cented oct for less than a moatb rua~iag. 12%
of te~aats staJ o~er a mODt~~ 3% Dyer a year; 30-50% re~t ~eeklJ.
re~aiDder lailr~ O~IJ 2% of tenants are tourists_
• Occasiomally ~il1 rake single pareat aad one child. ce~er twa
pare~ts aD4 cmildre~.
Rates:
* $20/mignt. SJ1Cl~~ vic ba~h
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~ $26/.igb~~ SI'O/~k witb iatn; dOuble oCCDpaacf: S2E/ciS
S I SOlwk
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Palo Alto Elot::el
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:; SC; rOOl&5 ~ 551 of reside~ts (~S iadiTiloals) are Dawnto~n Food Closet
IlIsers Of a,! 1981) * CommOD cooii~g facilities O~ Iroc~d floo~ ~ 611 of ~ooms are reeted fo~ less tban a ~o~tk rCDning. ,0
rooms r~liIte4J ;,reeklJ or daily .. 10 ;eople n2'te been there se1'eral
years; 2 or ) el~erlJ. aboct 8 1'eter2as (disabled)
~ 5,0-5.01 cf tenamts .are re,peats {have staJed tI":erE before}
= 3 fa ooe veek l!ft ~ue to r~nDiog oct of mOQeJ~(prescmed to ~O~
be bome!ess) fa a .. :eeN: ill! Atlgllst. 1987 "
$ $22Iaigbt~ $115/wN: vloet bath
~ $26/aigbt. Sl'O/~N: ~itb batb
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o APPEhDII B o
A PROFILE OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN
THE SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY HOTELS
OF PALO ALTO
RESEARCHED AND COMPILED BY:
SCOTT BRAUN
SUSAN a-lARETTE
ERIKA GRINIUS
NILS HALVERSON
PHIL KlEIN
VERNAKUO
SCOTT LLEWELLYN
OO~
roXIE MAlOCNADO
ED PIKE
BRCO<E RAASCH
KENFWERA
TlMSTANTON
LYNNTORlN
VICI<I VONSTU8BE
STANFORD WORKSHOPS ON POlITICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
MARCH 20, 1989
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(!) SAO HOTELS IN PAlO Al Tf:;
Single room occupancy (SRO) hotels have beer> an important housing
resource fa( decades for those who are O/le step away \rom homelessness.
SRO hotels are residential hotels in which people rent single, fumished
rooms with a common bathroom facility. Presently, there are thlee SAO
hotels in downtown Palo Alto: the Palo Alto, the Craig, and the Barker. A
char;ge in ownership at the Bark .... has brought the future of the hotels into
questiorl. In order to better understand the clientele of the hotels,
information on P<'esen! occupants and the demand for futL>re use is needed.
The lack of current in!ormation of this type P<'0vided the incentive for this
research project
Pertinent dala was gathered by thirteen of the st!>denls enro.1ed in
the Stanford SWOPSI class, "Homelessness in America." FirSt, st!>dents
investigated the current SRO situation by interviewing City and County
officials 10 find out which data would be most useful. From these
interviews. the students formulated questions to ask the hoter residents.
In the last lew weeks of February, the st!>dents, after obtail'ling Pefmission
frem the management 10 inteN'.ew residents, conducted 58 ir1terviews.
Interviews were conducted with 34 of the 57 resklenls of the Palo Alto
Hotel. 21 of the 45 "permanent" residel'lts of the Cra'g Hotel. and 3 of the 9
residents of the Barker Hotel.
We have comp~ed the data into several different categor<es. First we
present the aggregate dala and findings, Ionowed by the data Irom each
lndividual hotel. In reading the report. please note that the number of
responses does not always correspond with the number 01 interviews
because several responden.ts chose no! to answer certain questions. The
findings of the interviews and some interesting descriptions are incl!>ded
in the reHowing report.
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AGGfl!:GATE RE5U. TS FROM lHE SAO HOTElINTERVlEWS
ToIa! number 01 interviews: 58
TIle age diS1ribu1ion lot 111. curren1 inlerviewed occupants is (57 RESPONSES):
Ago rlnge
20-29
~39
40-49
5().59
Oller 60
« of oc;cypanJ,
12
18
16
1
4
TIle ,aflO 01 man kJ women inlervleWed at 1I1e holels is (58 RESPONSeS!:
46 12
TIle lenglh 01 Slay in Palo Ano lot lIle hole! occupanfs (SO RESPONSES):
DrI» in paro Ano
less lIlan 6 months
6 monllls -1 year
t year -5 years
6 ~ears . 10 years
over 10 years
, of occu pi ntS
16
7
10
7
10
The number 01 holeT occupanls l/1al plan Ie> Slay in Palo Ano (5S RESPONSES):
ra:31 II!!: 9 depends: 15
Note: Many "depends" respondenls e"P'essoo a desi,e kJ Slay in Palo .1,110 given favorable
drcumstances.
lenglh 01 stay in !he !lole! ( 54 RESPONSES):
Length 01 stay
less tlan one month
1-2 months
2 -6 months
S mon1l1s Ie> 1 year
over 1 year
, of oceuean!s
14
9
10
8
13
Do the hole! oocupanlS mQ\I. in and oul somalima.? (54 RESPONSES);
ltH: 13 II!!: 41
. "
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• __ • ___ . ________ 4'-_ .-_,,"-~ __ '" __ ",,-~,,"~ .. __ ~ ...
o
00 lila holel OCCIJp8l1IS swilch between differenl hotels? (53 RESPONSES);
Do "a hotel OCCIJp8l1ts pay hotel tax? {54 RESPONSES);
NOTE: Holellax is paid by t!1ose residing in a holelless IIlan 30 days al a 5me.
The percentage at income hole! residents spend on renl (43 RESPONSES):
percen"oe
<20%
20·39%
40-59%
6()..79%
80-100%
The SO<Itce at inoome lor holel occupants [47 RESPONSES):
, or occupants
3
11
15
6
e
!tOWCI of incornt • of occupants
disability !SSDI
senic< (62+1
SSI
naval refirement
tinanc:iaT akf
Velerans Admin.
"'HI<
toans
renter's credit
The range at inoome lor holel occupanls (46 RESPONSES):
range of income
< $5.000iyear
$5,OOO-$10,OOOiyear
$10,OOO-$16,6001year
$16,600-$22,7OOIyear
>$22,7001year
8
4
1
1
1
29
t
1
, g( occupants
5
14
14
9
C
•
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-
ThB housing option. perceive<! by hote! OCClJj)ants, "Where would you Ive I you weren' lYing "
this hotel?" (Sa RESPONSES):
hpuNna gptlon , or occuRanls
8par1!T1ent 10
nlIallvosl1riends 12
_housing 7
_hoters 3
none 2S
NOTE: In response 10 this quesflOl1 many said an apartment lIIOuld ba !heir IDEAL opfoon. ~.e.
money. 11I1ay ()Culd 6nd a .oomatej
The community serv""s used b~ hotel o:xupants (58 RESPONOENT~:
cgmmynOy wyfee
welfare
l'Ieaflh crmic
Red Cross
pubrlC Iransportatioo
VA hoSp41al
soup ~ilcheo
lkban 'Ministry
ThB Food Closet
St. VU1C8ol De Paur
Senior Center
Ubrary
Palo Me Medical cr",;:
N:ne
Whal 00 oa;upants like aboul the hotel:
bD!li features
managemenvcrean
incIependence
can' al'Jord firsVlast mo. rent
Ihe people "e ileslyle
oory place available
location
acoess 10 pubrlC l1ansporlalion
cost
no1hing
Do hotelocx;cpant. Iv. with .n~on. else1 (46 RESPONSES):
¥U: 12
. _.,
I of occypants
,
2
2
32
6
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!
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t
I
1
4
, pi occypants
7
8
13
16
15
4
23
15
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AGGREGATE ANDINGS
1. Eighly percent of the respondents are between 111e ages of 20 and 49.
20-29
Age Distribution
41)-49
IoQt
2. They are arso armost eighty percent mare.
SO-59 >60
3. Forty-six percent of the tenants interviewed have ~\led in Pafo A!to
less than one fun year, thirty-two percent for tess than 6 months.
'6
14
12
10
ff'"p<! B ,
o
!
l=ngth of stay In PlIo Alta
.. mona.
•
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,
,
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" .. ~.::;~1;?
~ ... ~:;~,~
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4. Over fifty-five O~nt of Ihose intervLewed p.J 10 stay in Palo Alto,
only sixteen percent plan on leaving.
S. Twenty six percent of the respondents reside in their hotel to< less
tharl one month. They are a part of \he sixty one percent who stay in the
hotels less than six months. However. the data also show that 26% of \I1e
tenants move !tom one SAO hotel 10 another and 24% of the residents move
in and out perioOocany.
a
1I""." Stl, fl Hotll
2-&noo1hs
Tm
6. Over 53% of Ihe hotel occupants pay hotel tax.
•
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7. The bulk (60%) of the resporodents lise 20 • 5~ of their income \0 pay
the rent and 19% use SO· 1 00% of the Tr income \0 cover re nt
IIICllm. Spent OD Rent
16 1
14 I
12 i
10+
froq, 8~
6 1
I
4 1
2
<20 20-39 40-59 60-19 80-100
PerCfnl Tnetlme Spent DO Rent
8, Of the tenants, 62% work 10< their source of income,
Sour-ell Of Income
[ • W.r.
.SS!>
.SSl
1102~ 61.?O~
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9. Sixty percent oOeir incomes fan
thirty percent in each calegory.
Yearly Income Ranges
19.!571I
n between $5;WO and $16,600 a year,
30.43911
• <:1,000
• 5.000-10,000
• 10,000-16,600
ill 16,600-22,100
o >22,100
10. 45% of those i.n!eNiewed have no other housing optionS available
beside their SRO hole!, 50% have no optionS other than the holels
r---~
j. Ag~t~
I • ~,.tiYH 1.--
I_ ,1»", l>oorng
ilI_
f
1 L PlIbnc Transportation was used by 55% o·f the respondents and 26%
frequenled the Food Closet
"L ' I ·-···~··---·-···---·'-'-,'-'
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12. The cccupants~ed the location. the people.ge lifesty!e. the
10 ptlbrlC transportation. and the cost 01 the SRO hotels the most
access
13. Seventy four percent 01 the respondents do oot ~ve with anyone else.
DATA PRESENTED BY HOTEL
THE PAlO AlTO HOTEL
The Palo AIto Holel is one of three single room occupancy (SRO)
hotels in Palo ANo and has 59 rooms. The room rales (as of November
1988) range from $liS without a bath 10 $135 with a bath pet week. and
$21 and $24 per night. The Palo AIto Hotel. along with \he Craig Hote!, is
owned by the EA Maas Hclel chair. based in los Gatos. The oolel is
centrally localed. on H"'llh Street, one block north of University Avellue.
The management estimates that they average 57 residellls at a time
and that 54 of those would be considered "permallent" Sil1ce we were
unable 10 enter the Palo ANo, we conducted the intervi.ews in front of the
hotel. Afl of !he information was obtained by slopping occupants as they
entered and exiled the 1101;>1. The i<1tervi.ews were done on a random basis.
and most were completed during the early evening between 4:30 pm and
7:00 pm. The resulls of the Palo Alto Holel interviews farrow.
RESULTS FROM THE PALO ALTO HOTEL
The numbef of inlerviews oondUCIed: 34
The age distmuflOn fc::If the currenl interviewed occupants is (34 RESPONSES):
.:. t 1
Age range
20-29
30-39
40-49
5G-59
""er60
,oJ occupants
7
11
11 •
•
, .
"--; ,
I , . t .
"
-.. "': -,
\
-'-
Tho '31"1() of men ",..,meO.Mewed at Ih. Palo AltoHolel is (34~SES):
Women
s
The length of stay in Palo Alto 10< fle holel 0IlCUpa111S (28 RESPONSES):
I!mt In Pal" AI\!) , 01 ocCiupanh
Ie .. Ulan 6 mon1l1s
6 monlhs -1 year
1 year -5 years
6 years· 10 years
over 1 a years
The number 01 holol occupa nts plan to Slay In Palo Me (34 RESPONSES):
m.:18 !!!!: 7 depends: 9
1
3
6
5
7
Nola: M,a{lY "depends" responden ts expressed a desire 10 stay 1n Palo AlTo given faVOfabre
Circumstances. .
tengrh of S!ay in 111. Palo Ane Holel varies (32 RESPONSES):
tengtl'J of stay
less Ihan one month
1·2 monlhs
2 - 6 menrhs
6 monlhs to 1 rear
OY&r 1 year
, 0( Q4;Cu Dan~
10
8
4
2
8
Do Ihe Palo Alto Hotel occupanlS move in and OU! scmeUm •• ? i33 RESPONSES):
_:6 1111: 27
Do Ill. Palo Alto Ifctel occupanls .wilch betwe.n differenl hol.ls? (34 FlSSPONSES!:
1111:25
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<~~--...,.': ... '. -.. ~0:~;ii~:~: ~ ~~
~_;~~~J,':<~~ ~_:
-". , ~. ':;.. ,.:,:' ',:'l"
m: 15 DI!: 19
The percenl~ 01 Income 110101 resi<!enlS spend on "ml (25 RE~S):
The source 01 OlcomO"" 110101 occupanlS (26 RESPONSES);
m'a of income
, or PCC;IIQi10J,
2
7
7 • 5
«of OCCupanrs
disal>llty (SSDI 7
senior (62+)
SSI
naval' re!irement
financial aid
Veterans Admin. t
worJI: '4
The range of ilcome for holel occupants (29 RESPONSES):
rangt or ~ , or occupant$
< $S,OOOlyear
$S.iXlO-$lO.OOQ/yeal
SI0,000-$16.600lyear
$16.6oo·$22,700/year
>$22,100/year
3
7
9
7
3
The lIousing ""flOns perceived by 110101 occupanlS (36 RESPONSl:S);
bOUSing ppUoo , oto<;cypanfs
~meN B
relarrve 5
w!lI1 tiends 3
Ollle' houSing 3
~e 16
NOTE: In _so \0 !his quesf"'" mlny said In apertmenlwould be !t1eir IOEAl opIion. '.e.
money. flhey could find. tOOmmalej
1.'.iIIIIPliitPillliilij 'C""""".''''· -..~ ... " -.
-
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~-:'. '," ~ .~--,."
, ,
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COnYnllDfIy oeryfCl
welfare
heaIII1 clinic
ReclCross
pubrfC .. anspot1arlon
VA ho<pIlaI
SOtJp ki!cl1..,
Utbanlofmlslry
The f',lOd Closet
What do oocupanlll li1<e aboLillhe Palo AAo flolet
bphIJ felurn
managemenllclean
i1depeodence
can't afford firsl/l'ast mo. rent
I1e peopfe
lIIe SleSlyle
only place avaffab1e
Tocaroon
""'"' '" I'<JbrlC ""nspOllalion
00 IIolel occupants lI\Ie with anyone else1:
l!&: 9
THE CRAJG HOTEL
, of ()C;cuDin1s
I
2
1
22
3
1
3
7
«of qccupanfs
!lI!;25
7
4
5
10
8
2
15
10
The Craig Hotel, estabrished twenty-five years ago. is located on
HamITton Avenue in Palo A~o. The hotel is owned by the EA Maas Hotel
chain. which also owns the Palo AAo Hotel and the MOUf1lain Voew Maas. In
fact. the current management or the hotel previously managed the Mountain
Voew Maas. The current room rates are $125/week witl>out a bath and
$1481week with a bath, and include access \0 a common k~chen with
kY'J<er space 10<' a sman additional fee.
The Craig has 63 rOOms. Management estimates that 40 \0 50 people
• :-'
-.
,
,,. ." ..
0--:. :..-;,--:
''-'.'.
\
o o
consider themselves ·permanent residents· at anyone time. But tile
number of guests varies; at times lIle holel is fur! and some rooms are
shared by two people. Although the management appeared interested in our
study. their COl"ICern for enenl privacy resulted in only a third of tile
surveys baing gathered on hottll prerrJses. Other b1terviews were obtained
outside the holel by solicitation of occupants entering and exiting the
buildlng. The results fonow.
RESUlTS FROM THE CRAiG HOTEL
T otar nul1lber of interviews: 21
The age d:stribuflOn b' the cu.rrent inlervfewed occupants is (20 RESPONSES):
Age range
20-29
30·39
40-49
50-59
over 60
, of occupanfs
5
6
4
2
3
The ralio 0( men )0 women interviewed at the Craig Hotel Is (21 RESPONSES):
14 7
The Ienglll of slay ., lIle Craig lor the hotel occupants (19 RE~SJ:
Dme )0 PalO' AnD • or !XCy pan Is
100$11100 5 months 9
6 moI\1hs ·1 ~e", 4
t year ~ 5 years 3
6 ~ea ... 1 0 ~ears 1
oyer ~ 0 years 2
The number 01 hotel occupants !hal plan to stay in Palo Aha (18 RESFONSlOS):
l1li: 2 deoends: 6
Nora: Many -depends" respondents expressed a desire 10 Slay in Palo Me gfven f8YOfabla
cirauns:&:nces.
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leoglll of stay In 1ha Craig ~)elll' RESPONSES):
Ltngfh or lfiy
less .... n one monll\
1 -2 II1O<I1IlS
2·6 monlllS
6 monllls 10 I year
over 1 year
, Of oec u pants
4
I
6
6
2
00 111. Ctaig Holel occupants move in and out somefimes? (18 RESPONSES):
lIQ: 12
00 ... Craig Holel ooc:upants swijch between different holels? (16 RESPONSES):
!lR: 12
00 lIIe Ctaig Hole! cxx:upanlSpay holell .. ? (17 RESPONSfSJ:
The percenlage 01 income holel residents spend on rent (15 RESPONESSJ:
perc:en faos
<20%
20-39%
4~59%
60-79"-
60-100%
The sou!Ce 01 nee"" "" hotel =pants (18 RESPCI;se~
tpur!rit of lne Q I"ne
loans
SSt
worl<
ren!e1's credit
The range 01 Income"" holer occupants (14 RESPONSES):
. ,
",nge of lncDfi1l
< $5,OOQIyear
$5,000-$10,OOO'year
S 1 0 ,000-$16 ,6001\'."
$16,600-$22,7OOIyo.,
>$22,7OO/"t."
, oJog;yoanls
1
1
a
2
3
I of occupa niJ
1
2
14
1
, of oc;c;vpa nts
2
5
5
t
1
•
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,
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,', .--.
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bOttling PRaM • of occuPants
apwTne~ 2
teTalives'lrieMs 3
o!herholJ5ing 2
oll1er hotels 3
"""" 9 NOTE: In response IQ IIIis quesflOl1 many said an apartInelll would be llleit IDEAL option. ~.e.
money, 'fie)' could lind a ,commate)
The community services used by horel occupan!S are (2. RESPO. ... 'DENTS),
eomm ynb MWe
Rae! Cro<..s
pubrlC lranspo;1a!1on
VA hospiraI
soup 10tchen
Urban MiniStry
The Food Closer
St ViI1COnt De Paul
Sen", Ceole,
I'b1e
What do oceupaniS like ~ lI1e Crag Hotel:
Mtf featyres
independence
-can't a:ford firstltast mo. renr
lI1e people
lI1e lifeslyle
only place available
Iocor"",
a<:aIss 10 pubrlC Iranspo;1arlon
COS!
nolhi"9
Do horel.>CCUpants live willl anyone else? (10 RESPONSES):
, of occy pants
1
9
1
1
5
1
1
1
4
• of QCCuppnls
~: 7
3
8
5
6
1
7
5
3
2
"
, ,-,,' .... , ...
.-....
•
The Ball<er. located at 489 Emorson Street in Palo Alto, is asman,
singTe-room-occupancy hotel. A sman door at street level provides an
entrance 10 tie hotel which is on !he second nOO<' above severa!
businesses.
There are twenly-Ihree rooms in an, but more fhan half are
permanently closed since 1he hotel is aboullO undergo restoraflOl1.. The
hotel is no! cun-enUy accepting new residents. The rent for a room
without bath was $2751month in 1988, wh~e a fOO<'n with a bath was
$4751month.
•
\
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4'_L-". ........ e ........................ __ ·_" __ _
,
Of !he nine remaining rasidenls, we were able 10 interview only flree.
Despite our efforts 10 interview more, management intervention prevented
!his.
RfSULTS FRO!.! THE BARKER HOTEL
Total number of interviews: 3
The age di~urlOl1 lor Ille current inleMewed occupan •• is (3 RfSPON$l;S),
Aae@Me
2().29
30-39
40-49
50-59
O¥et SO-
, of occupanf,
o
t
1
1
o
The ralio of men 10 women inlerviewed aI !he 8arl<er Holel is (3 RfSPON$l;S):
Women
3 o
The leng!h of Slay ., Ihe Bartle< lor the hareT occupants (3 RESf>ONS($):
TIme in PlfQ AlIo
less than 6 mon1l1.
6 roonlh. -t year
t year - 5 rears
6 years -10 years
over 10 years
.otoccuoanfS
o
o
1
I
1
The numbo< of hale! occupants !hal pTan to .tayin Pala AlIa (3 RESPONSES):
II!!: 0
•
,
,
, .,
\ .\
.\
•
.-
.-------~:,. -
"
, "
o
lengll1 01 slay i1 "" 8at1<er Hole! ( 3 RESPONSESj:
Ltmq!b of lily
less than one month
t -2 monllls
2 -6menllls
S monll1s 10 1 year
over 1 rear
o
, Qfoccupantl
o
o
o
o
3
00 1110 BarI<er HoIeI OQCupanlS move in and OUI some~mes? (3 RESf'ONSES):
l!D: t
00 "e Barl<er Hole! occupanlS sw~ch belween different holels? (3 RESPONSES):
00 Ill. Sari< .. Hole! occupanlS pay hote/Iax? (3 RESPONSES)'
I!!!: 3
The percentage 01 income ~Olel reside nlS spend on rerll 13 RESf'ONSES):
perernlaOf
<20%
20-39%
40-59%
~79%
80-100%
The source 01 inalmo lot hotel occupanlS (3 RESPONSES):
IQUrCl of Income
SSt
worl<
SSD
The range 01 """,me lot hole! OCCUjlonlS (3 RESPONSES):
tinge of inegmo
< $5,OOOlyear
$5,OOO-S10,OOO'yoar
$t 0,OOO-S16,6OOI)'ear
$' 6,600-S22,70C1year
>$22,7001year
, of occupants
o
3
a
o
o
, g{ QCe!! pa nIs
• 01 ocr;uMnJs
2
a
a
1
a
lili ••••• ,., IIiII!I,L .... ' .• ,·, ---"~-"-~"-'-
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bole! ",!UfU
-penrse~
can' ~f!c:,rd 6rsf/1as! mo. reOl
lI1epeopTe
lhe~~
only prace available
lc>caflOn
access 10 pul>f<: !faJisportar"",
CCS!
nettling
« of oc.;upants
I
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, at (?CCl!P'Nls
t
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q.HE CARDINAl HOTEL o
The Cardinal Holel is a 62-year-old hotel in downlown Palo Alto,
Iocaled al 235 Hamilton. There are 64 rooms in a~, and 32 with bath. It
ha~ a large, o~fashioned lobby, and the rooms are clean and pleasant The
rent is $1401week without bath, and $2OOIweek with bath,
This hotel had been a single-room-occupancy hoi&! for many years,
bet there are many IOUfis!s who stay here_ The management states that
there are no permanent residents. The hotel lax statisti<:s through
December, 19U, showed that approximately 49% of the rooms were
exempt [rom the transient lax. This means that about half of the rooms
are occupied for over thirty days. We beneve that the management is
attempti"9 10 cI1ange the errentele of the CardinaL
We did net have permission from the management 10 interview
residents, and we were unable 10 conduct any research on residents in \his
hotel.
CONCLUSION
In this conclus'!On we present OU( analysis of the data retrieved and 01
the many anecdotal remarks made 10 us by residents during the interviews,
While we do not Itn,ow how representative our sample is of the SRO
populatiofl as a whele, we present this aflalysis in COrleen with the
numerical dala in an attempt 10 portray a more complele picture of this
population_
We conclude that there is a great need !of tl1ese hole Is. While some
of the residents have other housing options. fifty percent of those
interviewed report having no slJCl1 optioos. If an ind'rvidual hotel were 10
be closed down, Of remodeled, an option for the residents would be another
similar hole!. But, a signifICant nwnber wOtJld be added 10 homelessness
should .all such hotels be upgraded beyond the economie means of these
..
" , ,
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I
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residents. o
The absence 01 alternative ho<Jsiflg leads \0 another important f.r.ding
01 this study: 1118 socia! isQlation of the jndjyjduals in these ho!els Many
01 the residents appeared to be <luite alone, and isolaled from other
tenants. Sometimes this was conveyed in words 10 the interviewer. At
other times, this loneliness was more subtle, thoLJ9h still noticeable.
There are many unsp.oken ways in which such isolation can be
COIlVTlUllicated. It may simply be apparent in a tenaers eagerness 10 talk;
or in l1islher extreme mistrust or the interviewer; or whe" a tenant
explains that he!she would rather share a hQ.m.e with a few other people
but that he/she doesn't know anyone; or when a tenant is <mabie to
comment on 1119 other residents because he/she doesn't know any or them;
or when a lenant explains that hiSlher ch;ldren are living elsewhere
because they are exchJded from the hotel; or, most commorlly. when a
resident explains thai Ile/she has no friends or relatives in the area,
which is ,",ely one of the reasons why he/she is in an SAO hotel 10 begin
with. Indeed. one might suggest that this is why SRO hotels exist in the
firs! place. For it these people had other options--a relative to tak~ them
in, or some friends 10 get a place with··then why are they in these hotels,
where they pay high rates lor small spaces? Of course, there ~ other
reasons why these individuals are where they are, but by understanding
their isolation, we Tearn much about their situation.
Many important findings of our study need 10 be considered aoove and
beyond mere numerical representation. For instance, these residents
express a crear need ror community services. There is a need for
inexpensive health care facilities among the people we surveyed. This fact
is demonstrated both indirectly, by the low inCome ievels of the majority
of residents, and directly, by Ir.e resp.onses oblained when participants
were asked what community services they use. ThoLJ9h there were Orlly
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!/vee responses 10 this question at the Craig, an three repITed that there
was a need for health carelfitness. As a result, desp~e the low number 01
responses 10 this question. we feel this is a result that should not be
dismissed.
likewise, there appeared 10 be a need for other community services,
as we~ as a general ignofance about many ava~able ones. For example, a
number of r9si{fen!s noted that they frequently used the public
Iransporlation system. In fact, many cited the location of tie hotels as
extremely convenient in this respect However, many of these same
individuals did not reaITze that, just a few blocks away, Jim 8urkJo gives
out free bus passes. Thus, a basic lack of information was a noticeably
pervasive problem. and one that might detract from the standard of ~v,ng
o,! permanent hotel residents.
Another important findill'J of our study is that lhe majQrily of the
oeoore SUr!\leved either wrrentfy have or in the recen1 past have had a
sfeapy job. \" addition. tnis is ~nerany their sole source of income. We
were an somewhat surprfsed 10 discover that these residents work in the
local 7-11's, restaurants, and even on the Stanford campus. Indeed,
pubITc assistance was generany absent as a source of illcome. This might
be partialfy attribufable 10 the large male pop<Jlation within these l1ote!s.
At any rafe, without romanticizing the priQl1t of the SRO resident, suffice
it 10 say that we found little over, evidence of lack of i<1itiative, or
motivation, in the sample populati(Hl.
Possibly one of the most interesti"9 findings was the conflicting
attitudes tQwards the management On the one hand, many residents
resented the strict (ures and security of the buildirllQs, which limit the
freedom of l/1e lnOrvidual. In particular, the inability of residents 10 have
overnight guests, or 10 keep their cl1ndre" with them was clearly
upsetting 10 some ooviduals. Indeed, some expressed a feenng 01 being
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babied. On the other hand, many terla"!s enjoyed tl1e maintenance 01 a
clean, quiet hotel, secure from drug pushers and prostitution. These
residents spoke quite l1igl>ly 01 the management In fact, two residents 01
the Craig mentioned that they had previously lived in the Mountain V'IeW
Maas under L~e same mar>agement, and had come 10 the Craig largely !of
tl1is reason.
FlIlany, OUf mcst important conclusion is that there reany is no way
10 cateoocize Of summarize the indjyic!uals surveYed_ As a result. tIlis
stooy, which attempts 10 simplify and ger>eraITze the data oblair>ed into
some understandable form, should be recogl'lized as possessing an the
sl1ork:omings in/1erent in such an attempt That is, by taking an the people
we spoke with and atlempti'19 10 squeeze l11em into specifIC categories. Of
NUS on a g,raph. we necessarily lose an these little differences that make
each person unique, memorable, and, most importantly, hlJman. Thus, we
feel it is important to remember that "Joe" wall<s around tl1e lobby 01 his
hotel dusting a~ the furniture because "this is the only place he has, and
he wants it 10 stay nice: that "Randi" has two chITdren who are ooable to
he in her room. and that "Brenda" hopes things wo<k out with a new
boyfriend so she can move beyond this "OvITding point' FOf it is only when
we remember that these individuals are people, not merely numbers in a
lable. tl1at we remember our common humanity. And only L'len are we
capable 01 !rue compassion.
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Sample Profiles o~ Residents
Joe is roughl~ 65 ~ears old. He is !he tooges! standing tenanl at !he
Craig Holel. having been a permanenl residenl at the hotel for 25 ~ears.
Upon his arrival in ~ Ba~ Area, IoI1owing compretioo 01 duty in lhe army,
Joe sperl{ time ... a psyc/1iatric hospital. It became clear through our
corwersa~on that the Craig was indeed Joe's home, as he seemed almost
obsessive ... his desire 10 keep the place clean--he contirlUOUsly creaned up
arouod !he lobby. Although he has a son who ,ves in San Jose, he could not
move in with him as his son"s apartrnenl is too sman 10 accommodate more
than one person; !herefore, he does not have housing optioos. When asked
what he Ukes aboul the Craig, Joe cfod not offer an~ prolound answers--he
staled simpry, "Nobody bugs me." Joe fikes Ihe lifes!yle at !he Craig.
Jeff has been in Palo Mo and an occupant 01 !he Palo AIlo Holel Jar
only a few months. He considers himsen a temporary occupant In fact, he
intends 10 leave !he hotel as soon as possible. He eventua~y plans 10 find
a roommate who cxx;1d share rent and expenses 01 an ~ment Jeff
wO<ks for a government agency but, with his income, l1e could not afford a ...
apa~menl by hlmse~. Unw he finods a roommate, he win remain in !he
holet He said thaI because he has neither friends nor relafives, \he Paro
Mo is really \he only possible place for him 10 uve. PresenVy, Jeff
spends about forty percent 01 his income on rent He has no complai">ls
aboul!he hole!, and, in fact, views it as a good housing oplion, especially
in cases Stf'lJlar 10 his own.
Gary is a co"ege graduate. Ofiginany (rom bacK East he came oul
Wesllo vacaUon, but his vacaflon was cut shoft when his car broke down
in Palo A~o. He clidn1 have !he money to fix !he car, nor to gel back 10 the
East Coast, SO he was forced to stay in Palo A~o. He has uveel in the Craig
Hote!1o< two months now and holds a job in downtown Palo A~o.
He says he"s~ "down 00 his luck" rigN now, and staying althe
Craig whtle he gelS back 00 his feet He has written a nove!, and hopes 10
go to graduate school in !he fulure. He regards his presenl situation and
his stay at !he Craig as temporary.
George is in his fifties and mentany handicapped. He says Ihal \he
"Counly" pays his rent and he rarely sees any of his money. He has been in
Palo Alto 10< "quite a whtle" and has fived in the Palo Mo Hote! 10<
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"several years." Befr.ynoving inlo the Palo Mo, Gec>rIY}'ed allhe
Barf<er Holel. He Ieft'.rl6 Barl<er-he was kicked out-after "xperi&nciog
problems with the landlord. Besides \he Palo Mo, he has no other housing
options.
Geo<ge lil<es the hotel's convenient Iocafl()(l and easy access \0 pubr",
"ansponaflOl\. He would, however, 111<910 be assisled oya social worf<er
wr.) worf<s with tie menlany haooocapped. AJ!ogether, George expressed a
great need lor \he Palo AJ!o Hotel.
Miguel is a Hispanic male who is roughly Ihirty years old. He has only
been", Palo Mo lor OM week and has stayed at !he Craig the whole tima.
He would like ID slay at the Craig, but recognizes !he uncertainly 01 his
situation, as his income is less that five Ihousand donars per yea r, Since
!Ie has no reTa~ves in the area, he has 00 other place 10 live, When asked
what he h'ked about the Craig, he responded that !he location close ID
pubr", transportation, the atmosphere and people, the lack 01 commitment,
&nd the management wete an valuable attributes 0I1he hotel.
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~ FEMAlE ~ UALE
1. Rl:SIOEI'«:Y
HOTEL SURVEY
HOW LONG HAVE YOU Bl:EN IN PAlO AI. TO?
DO YOU INTEND TO STAY IN PAlO AlTO?
• 2. TYPE OF TENANCY
HOW LONG HAVE YOU Bl:EN IN THlS I-OTEl'?
00 YOU MCM: IN IWO our SOMETIMES'?
o
DO YOO SWlTQ-I BETWEEN DIFFERENT I-OTElS'?
HOW OFTEN DO YOU PAY I-OTEl TAX'?
'3. INCOME
WHA TPEACafl OFYCUlI>lCC+.1E 00 YOU SPENO ON RENT'?
WHAT IS YO.JR SOURCE OF tlCOME?
,DISABILITY (SSD)?
-SENIOR (62+)'?
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W WHAT RANGE IS YOUR INCOME?
~ LESS THAN $5,OOO'YEAR ($42OiM0NTH)
& $5,000 -$10,OOOr'YEAR ($420 -$S401M0NTH)
~ $10,000 -$16,6OOo'YEAR ($840 -$13801MONTl-I}
6 $IS,600 -$22,700.'YEAR ($1380 -$18OOJMONTH)
A MOfIE THAN $22,700.'YEAR($18901MONTH)
·4_ HOUSING OPTIONS
WHAT OTI-IER HO.JSING Clf'TIa.jS DO YOU HAVE?
(IF YOU WEREN'T lMNG HERE OR IN ANOTHER HOTEL. WHERE WQlU)
YOUUVE?)
RELATIVE
WlIH FRlENOS
0nER HOJSl1IG
1'0£
S. COMMlNTY SERVICES
WHAT COMMl.tiTY SERVICES DO YOU USE?
saooR CENTCR?
WB..FARE?
HEAl T1i ClINIC?
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PU8UC TRANSPORTATION?
VETERANS HOSPITAl?
SOUP KITCHEN?
URBAN MINISTRV?
FOOO ClOSET?
o
WHAT COMMUNITY SER'VlCES 00 YOU WISH WERE AV MABlE?
6. HOTEL UVING
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THlS PlACE THAT YOU LIKE?
U<E NlEPENOENCE
CAN'T AFFORD FJRSTA.AST MONTI-I RENT DEPOSIT
U<E niE PB:lPlE
LIKE niE lIFESTYLE
OISASIUTY ACCESSIEASE
OM. V PlACE AV AllABlE
LOCATION
ACCESS TO PUBlIC TRANSPORTATION
HO'N 00 YOU lIKE IT HERE?
00 YOU LNE WlTHNNOE ElSE?
(AFTER INTERVIEW. PlEASE WRITE A BRIEF HlSTORV OF THE Pl:RSON AN!)
ANY AOOfTlONAL NOTES ON niE REVERSE SlOE)
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APPENDll C, Other (~t7 DrdJnances
~~n Diego Or~fnance
1. t'reser-.iltion of ~_~J~_ti~9 Resiaential Mot~ls
San Diego Municipal Co~e Sections ;01.1900·1910;
effective November 15, 1987. Repeiled emergency
ordinance ~-16856 probibiting conversion of resi
der:lti.al botels or res;'del'lthl hotel rooms to an),
ct~er ~se.
P€rtlnent Provist~n~:
A. Oefinitions -A -resl~ential hotel room-is a guest room
occ~pled for 31 da~s or ~ore and is rented at Dr below 30% of 50%
of the mont~lJ ~ediiln income f~ San Oiego~
A -transient ~otel'room-is.a guest room occupied for less
than 31 days and is rented at or belo~ 3~ Qf 5D% of the monthl,
median income il Sa~ Diego.
An -SRO botel raDII-is a resi·dential notel Toom, a tran
sient hotel roo~, an efficienc~ or -li'ing unit" as most recentt,
defined under Califorlia Health and ~afetJ Co~e Section 17958.i~
or a guest roo~ that rents at o~ below 30% of 5~ Qf the monthly
median income fl San Diego.
8. -As af January], 1988. eac. residenthl hotel
had to file wit~ the San Diego Housing Commis
~ousing authority) ~ report~ listfng the folTowing
ll11format1oll is of Ch!ce.mher it;. 19.8~: {iJ the total number of
rooms i~ the hotel; (ii] the t~till number of residentfal hotel
rooms; (iliJ the total number of transient hotel rooms; (iv) .a
rent ~bedule for .all the rooms; and e.) sufficient documentation
to substantiate the imf~r~ation. The COmIDlssion then establisned
it rt!';nsr.olGl· number of reSidential and transient hotel rooms ln
existence is of December 16, 1985. The Commission also caTc~
l~tes, at 6-month iDtervals as of December ]6. 1987~ the ·SRO
Hotel ADO~ S~ppl'·7 by identifying the number of SRO hotel rooms
available for service.
c. OemolI~ion _or -Con .... erslon Permit/Replacemel1t _ R~Ejj;remef'lts
Prior to the tft1~s issuance af a demolition permit or building
permit to convert a residential hotel, OY a portion thereof used
.s residential Dr transient hotel roams~ an applicant must enter
iute a ·~ogsfng Replacement Agreement-with th~ Commission. Under
the Agreeme~t, the applicant ~ust provide replacement hotel rooms
w;thi~ ) yeirs Df the date that the demolition ar conversl0n
perm!t is issued. Replacement residentfal hotel rooms ~ust be
iffordahle to the same extent is those that existed previQusly and
must be provided at i ratio of 1 replacement room for eacA
previously eXlsting residential ~otel room (l:lJ for a period of
10 years. Replaceme~t transient hotel roomS must ~lsQ be provided
on .a 1:] basis for 10 years. although such roams are not subject
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to the iffordabllitJ restrictions. All of the rooms must be pro
.ideo by one of t~e following methods~ (1J new construction;
(il) rehabilititfoD or <onversion of vacant hotel rooms;
(iii) convers;on of ncnresident;~l str~ctures; or ii.) payme~t of
an ·;1 lfeu· fee it an amount equal tG SD% of the replacement cost
~f the rooms ta be demo1ished or convert~d. However. na Housing
~eplacement Agreement F:ay be reQ~ired of an applicant ~nless th~
most recent SRO Hotel RaDII Suppl, decreases to an amour1t Equal to
or below the thre$~old num~r of reside~tial and transient hotel
rooms t~at exi!ted on December ]6, 1985.
2~ Relocation Assistance fOT Res;denti.~I_~_oteU~!~~,!e_I] __ ~ Residents
San Of ego ~unfcipal Code Sections 101.1920-10).1928;
effective November 30, ]987.
PertiDent PrQvisions:
Applicants for permits related to the demolitlon. co~versiOD
or rehabilitation of I res1dentfal ~otel. resldential hotel roo~.
or portjo~ thereof. ~ust provide or ~ake availab1e <ertain bene
fits fa everJ pe~anent res;dent displaced as a resalt. Tbe
benefits fncl~de: tiJ a lump su~ payme~t equal to two times tne
median resident;al botel re~t i. lh~ case of hotel demolition or
-conversion. or a~ amOiJnt equal to He montill.} Iledian f'E'sidenUal
~otel rtDt i. the clse of hotel rehabilitation; til) i rent rebate
of 510 per month for ea~~ mcnt'~s residency i. excess of 90 days,
up to a total of S2lD; (iii) 90 days notice of te~i~atfcn Qf
tenancy; a~ (i" ~ritteB notice of these benefits, del;~erE'd to
eacb affected resident. Any permanent ~otel resident iajured b,
yiolatfon of these regu1.tions is entitled to de~larator1 relief.
iAjunctf~e relief and damages in a priYate elYl1 actionL
3. Incentive Prografl for Retefltion ljf hi~'png !~9_0evelopment of New
~'!-~5~eflthl }lcte1s
(~o local ordina~ce amendments necessary)
Pertjnent ~!".!Ivisi_9_ns:
A • .Pol feJ of stringent buildir.g code eflforcement til' building
department of .iafmu~ beaTt~ and safet] standards, accompanied by
adequate financial focentfves to rehabilitate residential hotels
and maintain existing rents throug~ ]oe.l, state and federal rehabl1it~tion
subsidies.
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B~ Systematic rire and Building Department lRspectfons to
ensure compliance witft ~nlfor~ fire and building C~des and Housing
c.ode.
c. Amendment to State Unifor~ Building Code to allow for an
tfficfencyor ·livlng Unit·. As a result of t~e City's lobbying
efforts, the Uniform Building Code ~a5 successfully amended to
permit i DEW type ~f ·eff;c.ienc1 unit· for occupancy by 1 or l
persons, ~it~ I .iaimu~ irea of ISO square feet and w~ich also may
bay! I partial titchen or batnroom ficilit, (See Health & Saf.
tode. Sec. t7958.1). The pre~ious code had required a~ efficiency
unit to ~ave a f.11 kitchen ind bath. with a mfmimum .rfa of 220
square feet. The res~lt is reduced construction ~osts fo~ soch
units.
rL Pursue amendment to Slate Uniform Fire (ode to requi re
fire prevention sprinkler systems i~ all new resioential hotels,
regardless of hetght. Tais amendment would result in the sprin
kler req~freMent also applying to buildings up to th~ee stories i~
~eigbt. The Cftyr s rfre Department then could reduce certii~
other. more expensiv! ffre prevention requirements io ne~ residen
tiil hotels of 3 or less sto~ies~ wlthout affecting occupant
saret,_
E. eftJ Staff development Gf reasonable equifa1ent alterna
tives to certil& fire and Building Code requirements. SQcb
requirements include: tiJ fire corridor ratings; (iiJ emergency
e~lts; and (ttl) borizontal iir iDtake at the botto~ of courts
more than Z 5to~fes ;a height. rf a resioentiil hotel is fully
sprinklered , the policy of creative design solutions are enco~r
aged if they proYlde reasonabT! equivalent ~'ternatfves (or t~ese
requirements. for example t mec~anicil ventilation 15 permitted as
an alternative to t~e borizontal air iatake for courts of 2 or
more storles_ All of thes! alter~atives a~e ~ons;dered on a <ase
by-~ase basts. t~e goal betog reduced (onstructfon costs ~it~
occupant safetJ f~ll, ma;~ta;ned.
f. Require telep~~r.e and televi510n (able pre~1rlng to be
installed ;1 eac~ new SRO unit. Tbfs requirement results io
preventing t~e cost of adding tnese amenities later.
~_ Establish ~ter and sewer ~onnectian and capa(it~ rates
that accuratel, refle(t lower reSl~ent1il hotel ~sage.
R. Loterpret new resid'entiil hotels as botel (Commercial Use)
not srJbject to Handicap Access Requirements for residential
developments.
I. ~sfgnate ill new residential hote1s and SROs as cammer
~iil gses for Plannfng and Zoning purposes.
J. Establish variance p~O(edure for seeking reduction of off
street parkiDq requirements il commerclil zones for residential
hotels. Exceptions or reductions to the mi~imum off'street
parklng requfrements are allowed through tne wa~ianc2 procedure.
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This reflects the fact t~at few permanent resideotfal or SRO hotel
residents have cars.
l~ ~tudy legal feasibilit, of rebating to the Cit1's Ho~sing Reserve Fund
any Transient Occupancy hx paid by existlrlg: res'identfil hotels. A related
study 'Wotlld lavesUgate the legal feisibi' ity of annual1J rebating the
Transient Occupancy Tax paid by residential botels. T~is would reduce the
~otels~ oper~t1n9 exp~~ses.
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APP£NDII C. Continued
San francisco Ordinance
L ~!!_~_~_~ ... dfon of histfng Resfo'er.Ual Hotels
San francisco AdmiDistrative Code t~apter 41;
effective Jul, 21~ 1981. Repealed interim morato
rfu~t und~r Ordinance No. 564-19, prohibiting
demoHtiol'l or cOfl .... ersion of recsidenthl hotel
un1ts or apart~ents tG tourist or any ~ther ~se.
Pertt~~~t ProYfslons~
A. Oef1~itions -A -residential unit-is a residential hotel
9uest room occupied for 32 con5ecwtf~e days or more.
A ·to~rist unit-is i hotel guest roo~ occupied for less
Ulan 3l consec\ltfve days.
B. [r:1''oIentor"¥ -fadl botel owner Of'" ope.rator must file \lith
the City Bureau 0 Building r~spe'tjon an "Ioltial Unit Usage
Reporl-. accompanied bJ 5upportiDg evidence. listing the (ollowing
imformation: (i) the number cf residentfal and tourist units iD
the botel as of September 21~ 1919; [it) the curre~t desig~atfon
b1 roo~ number ind location mf the botel~5 residential units and
tourist \.Inits:; and (ili) the t~hl current number of the hotel's
residential units and tourist units. The hote1 owner ~r operator
may, fl t~e ~lter~ative if the hotel qualifies, file a statement
o~ claf~ of exemption, is provided for under the ordi~ance_ The
Bureau of BuildiDg I~spectfon must then certify the number ~f
residential and tourist units is the ~otel and issue a Certificate
of Use for the ~otel. The Certificate is valid for 1 year, and
authorizes the operation of the hotel~s designated number ~f res;
oential units and tourist units. Each owner or operator of resi
dential units ~ust also ~eekl1 post: liJthe number of tourist
units to ~fCR be or s~e is ctirrentlJ entitled; (il) the date the
~otel~s Certification ~f Use was last issued; and (iii) the number
~f g~est rooms used as tourist units OD ea~~ ~aJ ~f the preceding
~e~k. Seg;nntng October 15. 1983. eac~ owner or operator is
further required to file an -Annual Unit Usage Report-wit" the
Cit,. providiog l!formation about the occupancy hi5tor1 and rental
charges for the botel's reside~tial and tourlst units for the
preceding year~ No annual hotel license will be issuer unless the
botel owner or operit~r presents a certified a'kno~l~~gmcnt of
receipt fTOI'II the Bureau of tfle Annual Unit US;J.':..i :-:"port.
C. Demolition ocr co_~_~ersion permHlreplacemet:lt requi~ements
A permit must be obtiined 1m order to convert a residential unit
to a tourist unit, othe~;~e eliminate a r~sidentfal unit or
demol1s~ i residentlal hotel. Prior to the iss~ance of the
p€rmit~ t~e reSidential hotel owner or operator IDust provide for 1:1
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replac~nt of the ua'ts to be converted by one of the fo1low-
ing ~ethods: (t) Dew construction of comparablJ sized units at
comparable rentsi (i1) replacement ~it~ E~isting units, comp~rable
1m siz~ and rent, that ~ere not former11 s~bject to the ord;nanc~;
(iii) construction or rehabilitation of apartme~t units for
elder1" disabled or low-income persops; or {iv) 9aymefit of an im
lie~ fee fa an a~unt equal to 40% of t~e cost of construction of
comparable units plw5 acq~isition costs.
lft additfoD~ i botel owner cr operator rna1 not rent a residen
tfal unit for tourist or nonresidential use txcept as fellows:
[i) iii tourist unit lIlay be Tented t{l il perllanent resident wHhout
changlng t~e legal status of the unit iilS a tourist unltJ and
{ii} ~p to 251 of il hotel's 'icant residential units ~aJ be rented
as touiist units durfng the period of May 1 tnrough September 10
of eacb year_
2~ R21ocatioc Assistance for Residential Unit Pe~anent Reside~ts
Pertinent Previsions:
Applicants for conversion permits ~ust pro~i~e permanent resi
dents ~th prior notice of the ffling of tha iilpplication and
iDforMation about t~e residents r res~lting right to assistan~e
under the ~rdinance. The assistance includes iii res;dent~s right
to: {il occupy .is or 'her residential unlt for 60 days fQl1o~ing
the permit's issijance; (ii) i comparable replacelnent unlt provided
by t~e applicant; and {iii} relocation assistance_ Relocation
assistance fncludes! (iJ relmburse~nt from the applicant for up
to $100 for moving expenses; (ii) rigbt of first ref~sal for
rental of applfcant-provided replacement units; ind (iii) payment
from the applicant of a displacement allowance of $l,OOO~
Any -;nteiestea ~art)· may fiTe iii: com~lai~t ~th the Bur€a~ of
Building IRspecti~~ concET8ing an unlawfwl conversion. An admim
istrative ~eariDg ~st follow to determlne whet~er t~e conversion
actuall, occurred. If so, a clv;l penalt) up to $5.000 maJ be
1mposed on the converter. If the penaltJ is not paid, the City
may re(ord a li~a to secure payment agal~st the converter~s botel
p·ropert,. The Citl may also flrlDg an action for i~junctfve reHef
against iii: flatel owner Q·r operator 'Who ,;ohtes the ordlnaTlce~ 1111
addition. certafl violations under the ordinance (onstitute ~lsde
lIleano·,.s~ A perilanent resident hjured b)' a violation of the
ordinance Ila, also Snstitute a p~iyate civil action for i~junctive
relief and damages.
3. Prohibition A9ai~st {on~ersion ~f Residential U"~~_t~ Time~
Share Units
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San Fnncfsct> Admiahtrathe Code Chapter 4lC;
effective ~.r'\ 10, 1986.
Pert!neRt Pro,!,!.n,:
It 1S I .isdemeanor ta convert i residential unit, including a
resident f.' hotel anit, to a time-share use_
San Franc1S<:o Admfnfstratfve Cod'e Chapter 31;
.ost recent ~ersion effective August 13~ ]987_
Pertinent Provis1Qns:
Tbe (itJ~s residential rent contrQl ordinance also covers an
accolTlTlodatlon iI a Zlotel , motel .. inn .. tourist bO\.lse, and rooming
or boarding bouse if the tenant has occupied the unit for 32
consecutive days Dr more. Therefore, the botel owner or operator
mal not iDcrease the rent for t~at unit more than once per year
under the ordinance. Tbe permitted rent increase ~aJ vary
itcordfng to t~e CPl increase for t~at year; however. im no event
may the increase be greatEr than ]~ annua1l~~
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APPENDII C, Contlnue~
Berkelel Ordinance
L PreservatIon of Existing __ 8_~ ___ !iJAePltial f10ttls
BerieTe1 ~unicipal Code Sections 15.1-2 and
IS.I·3; effective August 28, 1986.
Per!Jneot PrQvlsion~=
A ~ Oe fj. it f cns
14 days Dr IOOre.
A ·residential hotel room" is occupjed for
A "transient ~otel room" is occypfed for less than 14
days.
8. I~ventorr -The Assistant Cit~ Manager ~ust hold i bearing
to determioe the number of resldentii.l hotel and transiE~t ~otel
rooms in eacR resfdential ~otel_ In maKing this d€termination~
t~e Assistant CitJ Manager must consider all available relevant
lAformation. fncludi~g: (i) the ~otel's records; (ii) its ten
ants~ records rent.l agreements; (iii' leases and rent receipts;
ti~) tranSle~t occupancl tax ~ayment records; and (,) any exemp
tion certiffcates. The Assista~t Citl ~anager ~ay require that
the owner and/or the lessee of the ~otel provide these records i~
order tG make t~~ determ~nation4 Weti,e of the dete~inatfon is
~ailed to the owner &f the botel~ and also to the hotel~s tenants.
The notice must be posted fa i ~isible location in the i~terl0r
~nd 00 the exterfor of the ~otel. Each hotel must~ on Jan~ary IS
of eac\ year, submit t~ the City i Sumrnar~ Report of the hotel~5
mandatory Dall, Log for the preceding year. The R€90rt must
contail the fGl1o~in9 \~fo~ation taken fro~ the hotel's Dail,
tog: {iJ the number 0f residential botel a~d transi~nt hotel
rooms aD December 31 of the preceding year; (iil the occupancy
histor~ of t~e rooms during the year; and {ill) the a~erage number
of resfdentfal an~ transrent rooms if the hotel fer the preceding
year. The reo~ ~$es in no Wiy ~odify tne Assistant City ~dnag~r"s
determinatioD about the number and type of reomS permitted.
C. Oemolitfon ~r Conversion Permit/Rep1acement Re uir€me~ts
lssuan~e ~f i use permit is required prior t~ the demalltion c
any Donresfdentfll structure, including residentfil hotels~ sub
ject to certii. findings u~Tess the structure is conSidered to be
unsafe and i ~azird~ fssuance of i use perwit is also required
prior tB lnE conversion of a reSl~entlil hotel room to any other
use. Other ~se$ include (onversion tm i transient h~tel room, anJ
other commercfll, ~fffce, retail or industrial use, ~r ~se i~ i
complete resfdential dwelling unit. II order for the findings t~
be made for issuance of the conversion ~se permit, the hotel owner
must agree til provi·de comDarabl e housing, iI!I size, Qual itJ and
rent. to eac~ affected tenant prior to the conversion. Tne rooms
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must be replaced ~o a 1:) basi~ and must be provided by: (1) new
construction; (i1) existfng rooms \~ a struct~re not currentl1
subject te the ordhanc:e~ or (i; iJ ,payment to ll~e (it.1 of an h
lieu fee ,. an i~ount sufficient to replace the rooms to be
converted.
o~ E~chan~e of Aesider.tial Hotel and fransient Kotel Rooms
Owners Clf resf entfal f'totels ccntai.,ing botlJ resl-a-e-;jtiar-~and
transient flattl rooms lIay convert t,he resldenthl hotel rooms to
transieDt bohl rooms wit~out i use permit. Rowever,. at r.a time .i' the total nur.ber of residential rooms 1m t~e hotel be less
than t~e D~er the Assistant Cit, Manager ie1tial1y detefmined
pursuant t8 t~e ~earfng.
£. Yiolatfons-The improper renting or tise of a reside~t;~l
or transient hotel room, or the fiilure to teep i Dal11 lDg for
eac' daJ for eac~ room, is an imfraction. Three infractions by
the same Y101ator constit~te I mtsde~eanar. [n addition, any
person who believes the ordinance ~as been Vlclited may fiTe I
private actloD for injunctive relief or damages~
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APPENDII D
Av.ll.ble financing
C0iTll'lunH Develo I1Ient Blo-cl Grants O.S. De artment of Housi~_~_d Urba~
DeveTopmept -
The primary objective of the CDBG Program lS ·t~e development Qf viable urban
communities, including decegt ~ousing and a s~itable l;~ing enwlronmect, and
expanding econo~fc opportunities priocipall¥ for persons of low and moderate
In(ome·_ II order for I project t~ be funded it nust b~nefit low Inj moderate
income persons. II federal parlance, the defloition of low-fnc~ is 50S of
t~e HOD isstgned nedian income for Santz Clara Count] lSS4,OOO for a f~il, of
fo~r as of february 6, 1990 ~'CR translates to a ~aximum income of 521,000).
and is termed SectlOD a 'ery low Inccme. ~oderate income is defined as Section
8 lower income, ~hlc' i. the case of Santa Clara County translates to
appr~limatell 66' Gf the <ountJ median income or 535,700.
The follo';ng projects .re e1igible for tDBG funds (approximatel, S600,OOO per
year): I) Acquisition of real propertl whlc~ is appropriate for
re~abnih:t;oD. 2) Acquisition ~f land for assisted bousing_ 3) Acqutsition
~T constructioo of seRior cegt~rs and centers for t~e handicapped and ot~er
spetial fac11ities. 4} Rehabilitation ~f structures. 5) Arc~itect~ral .
barrier removal. 6) Relocation payments. 1J Public ser~ices. 8j AsSistance
t. con-profit entities to carry ~ut eligible ittiwities. However fer I prej~ct
ta qual if, for COBG funds 6l~ of the benefactors must be Jo~ to ~oderite
inc{lme-people ..
O"e suc~ COBG funded progra~ allocated by the Palo Alta Housing Corporation is
the ~ental Housfng Acquisition Program (RHAP). The-Rental Housing Acquisition
Pro9ra~ (RHAP) funds grants monies for ~urchases. re~abjlitation and operation
~f eXlsttDg reatal bous{og i. Pale Alt~ il oTder to ass 1st i~ pr~viding and
pre~ervicg the rental ~ousiog suppl, for persons Qf low and moderate fncome.
fHl of Palo Altc. Housing Reserve Fund-
The Reserve is made up ~f two iccounts t t~e fndustTial/Commercial and the
Reside~tial/Mjscellaneous Accounts. ~onies received from industrial and
commercial developers under t~e Housing ~itigation Ordinance are deposited
intG the Industrial/Commercial Account. ~~nies received from residential
developers fa-lieu of provfdiog housfng under the Below-1I\arket-Rate Progrim
are depOSited 11 the Residenti~l~~iscellaneous Account. Tmis second account
also includes aonfes from mortgage revenue bond fee repayment and housing loan
paybach.
~tite Programs
~ source Gf hel, may be avatlable ia the fer~ of the Special User Ho~sing
Re~abilit.tfon Progr .. (SUHRP) of the Cepartment of Housing and Communit,
Development Gf t~e St.te of Cal1forail. Tils pro9ra~ provideS low-imterest
loans for renab11itat;on and ~re~r~ation of SRG Hotels. In consideration Qf
the low-cost IlOney, the rects of the hotels a;e shbilized fer the durition of
the loans. Laans are ~ade t~ ~riyate owners Of de~eTope(s~ to non-profit
entities. or to ~artner5h;ps of the t~o.
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Anot~er progr~ is the Deferred '~yment Rehabilftiti~n loan Program
(DPRV). The OPRl' funds are awarood to 10Cil governmeQt agene;es and
non-profit ~orporatfon5 t~at t~en ~~le 5-year renewab1e 3' re~a~11itlt;on
loans tD bomeowners and ownet"S of rental properths. lo~ns can be extended
for up t9 3D lears.
F eden 1 Permanent Hoys' ng __ ~~ __ 1".. __ J~_~Har'!_~j£~_p~if Mome 1 e ~~Jr09 r am iT he Mel i nney
!ill-
Ihe State ~f Califor.fa is the applicant for the program, ~hic~ provides funds
fo~ acqu1sitfoD and/or rehib111tatfon of ex1st1ng structures t~at provfde
long-term houstng for the bandicapped ~ome'ess. Supportive serv1ce~ ~~st be
pro~fded 1. conjunction with the shelt~r.
Rental Re~abilitatfon Pro9ra~-
There are federal funds available for the re~abl1itat;on of eXlstfcg
JOW-iDCome rental properties. Funding;s available fo~ SR05 which need
se;sl'I'Jic upgradfng. The Barker ffotel is pf'e~ntll being -considered for RRP
funds.
~E9POsiUOQ 11-
ProYi~ed S10 .fllfoD towards g~neril purpose-rehabilitation. Grants for
projects .nll be made i. June 1989.
J'roposHion 84-
Provided S2S .fllfoD for rehabilitation ~f residential ~otels and S2S million
for ~omeless shelters. Grants will be made ;. December 1989.
Califo-rlli Housing RellabilitatfoD Program-
There has been $9.4 _11lian appropriated to CHRP from Propositions 11 for
acqu~sition and re~abilitatfon ~f residential hotels and ~otels~
PropeslUon )OZ-.
Jf apprDved it the June 1990 ba11et, this ilitiati~e ~ould fund e~ergency
shelters and tra~5itional bousfD9 projects.
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APPfNDU E
fABlE I SRO HOTEL USES WllHIN PARKING ASSESSM£Nl D1STRltlS
BUSINESS STREET USE SQUAR[
7Wt£ NlII8U COO£ foolAGE
UNIVERSITY AYENU£ DISTRICT:
Barter
Crilg
P~To
Alt.
Cardi!llal
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431
Em~r.soD
164
H.mllto.
425
HIgb
235
Hamll ton
fk>hl 4,500
ll1)
Hotel 13,064
(11)
H<>teJ 13,116
(l7}
Hotel 36.361
{l1}
PARK PARK ASSESSED ASSESSEO
R£QO PROV SQ. fT. AMOUNT'
41 0 10,400 S 3,827.60
S2 4 12,059 S 4,438.16
52 0 1l,II6 S 4,827.16
145 0 36,361 S13.382.22
8/21/89
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