NYC hostel closed - dozens of toursts evicted
Apr 23rd, 2010, 04:24 AM
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NYC hostel closed - dozens of toursts evicted
Last night the Department of Buildings closed the illegal Harlem Hostel (it did not have a Certificate of Occupancy for a hostel and did not meet fire regulations) and all the guests were summarily evicted. Since the city is already overpacked with tourists stuck here due to the lack of flights to europe many of them were having trouble finding a place to stay in their price range (although there are vacancies at higher price points).
The city has announced that this is part of a larger crackdown on illegal "hostels" and "B&Bs" - which are being operated in buildings zoned and certified only for long-term residential rentals.
The city has announced that this is part of a larger crackdown on illegal "hostels" and "B&Bs" - which are being operated in buildings zoned and certified only for long-term residential rentals.
Apr 23rd, 2010, 08:15 AM
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yes, it is a good thing but what about the stranded young travelers? I wonder if they were given any viable options?
I remember traveling on a "shoe string" when in college....but then again I could roll with the changes a lot better then than now!!!
Then, I would have just jumped on a train anywhere and go! That was Europe though,... a bit different then.....
I remember traveling on a "shoe string" when in college....but then again I could roll with the changes a lot better then than now!!!
Then, I would have just jumped on a train anywhere and go! That was Europe though,... a bit different then.....
Apr 23rd, 2010, 05:20 PM
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The one to blame is the scammer who was running an illegal hostel - not the city, which closed the building for a variety of zoning and safety violations. (One woman on camera complained she had paid for her room in advance - not a great idea - and of course the scumbag wasn't about to give her a refund.)
There was a sidebar that part of the reason was complaints from neighbors about groups of loud - perhaps drunken - young people hanging out in and outside the building - that lead to the visit. One thing to understand is that people in YC do complain - to the police of noise abatemet dep't or whatever. We have a general number - 311 -that takes any sort of complaint and passes on to the appropriate dep't - and people will call the police about groups of loud kids at night. It happens on my block when people in a specific building play ujber loud music at all hours. I've called the local precinct at 2 am and the desk sarge just said - "lady, you're the 14th - or whatever - to call already" - and they do turn up in about 10 to 15 minutes.
The key point is - if something is too good (cheap) to be true there is probably a reason. And it does pay to confirm that a property is legitimate.
Usually the city wouldn't be so busy now and there might have been room at a legitimate hostel. My understanding is that the evicted guests were given some options - but obviously at whatever price was available.
There was a sidebar that part of the reason was complaints from neighbors about groups of loud - perhaps drunken - young people hanging out in and outside the building - that lead to the visit. One thing to understand is that people in YC do complain - to the police of noise abatemet dep't or whatever. We have a general number - 311 -that takes any sort of complaint and passes on to the appropriate dep't - and people will call the police about groups of loud kids at night. It happens on my block when people in a specific building play ujber loud music at all hours. I've called the local precinct at 2 am and the desk sarge just said - "lady, you're the 14th - or whatever - to call already" - and they do turn up in about 10 to 15 minutes.
The key point is - if something is too good (cheap) to be true there is probably a reason. And it does pay to confirm that a property is legitimate.
Usually the city wouldn't be so busy now and there might have been room at a legitimate hostel. My understanding is that the evicted guests were given some options - but obviously at whatever price was available.
