AHLA Criticizes New York City Council’s Approval of Safe Hotels Act

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has voiced its opposition to the recent passage of the Safe Hotels Act (Int. 991) by the New York City Council. AHLA Interim President and CEO Kevin Carey condemned the act, arguing that it would significantly harm the city’s hotel and tourism sectors.

Carey stated that the legislative process was rushed and primarily served to benefit a single special interest group at the expense of small and minority-owned businesses. Despite some concessions in the updated version of the bill, he criticized its focus on hotels with 100 or more rooms, arguing that it would lead to increased costs for travelers and damage the city’s economy.

Carey stressed the unity of the hotel industry in opposition to the bill, citing the involvement of hotel owners, operators, brands, employees, and subcontractors.

The Safe Hotels Act mandates a hotel licensing program, requiring hotels to renew their license every two years and demonstrate compliance with health, safety, and labor mandates. The Act also prohibits the use of subcontractors for housekeeping and front desk staff in hotels with over 100 rooms and necessitates human trafficking training. However, hotels with a collective bargaining agreement that meets these requirements are exempt from this process.

The AHLA and other industry stakeholders have been actively opposing Int. 991 since its introduction in July. Their efforts led to several amendments to the bill, including removing requirements for hotel owners to employ all employees directly, eliminating language creating joint-employment status between owners who use third-party management systems, and reducing staffing mandates. The revised bill also removed subjective elements of the hotel licensing process and the possibility of revoking a license due to service disruptions.