No emptiness.
A nationwide lodge chain has been pressured to pay town of Yonkers $515,000 for stashing dozens of migrants in a 103-room native Ramada — and leaving them there for almost two years.
The hefty settlement by Ramada by Wyndham ends a lawsuit filed by Yonkers officers claiming the prolonged migrant keep violated metropolis zoning codes by turning the lodge into an unlawful longterm shelter.
“Whereas the Metropolis of Yonkers was not initially notified by New York Metropolis of the asylum seekers’ arrival two years in the past, we have now since supported these households,” Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano mentioned in a launch.
“Their transition to alternate housing is the results of the lodge’s irresponsible refusal to stick to Yonkers’ native zoning, housing and fireplace ordinances, which positioned most of the lodge’s residents in peril.”
1000’s of migrants flooding into New York Metropolis from the US border since 2022 had been positioned in shelters and accommodations all through town, in addition to upstate New York, together with Yonkers, and on Lengthy Island.
However Yonkers officers mentioned the 125 migrants positioned within the Ramada by Wyndham on Tuckahoe Highway in Might 2023 by New York Metropolis had been presupposed to solely be there quickly — however stayed for 20 months.
In line with a report by lohud.com, the Ramada was renamed Plaza Esperanza whereas serving as a migrant shelter, with the variety of asylum seekers staying there topping off at greater than 200.
The quantity started to shrink final yr and bottomed out at about 75 final month, the outlet mentioned.
Nonetheless, town sued the lodge chain — and eventually bought the settlement.
“In consequence, we determined to take authorized motion towards the lodge to pay for misplaced income and violations towards our native legal guidelines,” Spano mentioned. “Via a settlement with Ramada, the residents have now vacated with out disruption.
“I’m happy that via our partnerships with native non-for-profits and social providers, these households now can proceed their journey in looking for asylum in our nation,” the mayor mentioned.
The migrants had been relocated by the New York Metropolis Division of Homeless Companies.
Reps for the lodge chain didn’t reply to a request for touch upon the settlement.
Supply hyperlink
