A small city in Upstate New York is being sued by the owners of a local motel who say they should be allowed to offer their services to people formerly convicted of sex-related offenses.
Shree Granesh LLC, the owner of an EconoLodge on Main Street, filed a lawsuit against the Town of New Paltz over a recent ordinance which aims to limit (and ultimately reduce) the number of registered sex offenders who can reside at a certain commercial address.
In fact, it might be a bit more accurate to describe the local law as an effort designed specifically to reduce the number of registered sex offenders who can reside at one particular commercial address.
That is, the law in question was passed in direct response to fulsome local outrage at the EconoLodge over their highly-publicized decision to house seven medium-high level sex offenders late last year.
SUNY New Paltz students were sent notices of the recent move-ins from October through November 2020. Those notices led to a town meeting focused on the issue and ensuing local media coverage.
Related articles:
NY: An influx of Sex Offenders in New Paltz Causes Town to Tighten Reigns
What I’d like to know is how many new sex offenses were committed by registrants housed at that hotel while they were staying there since this arrangement was made. Lack of reporting indicates none.
A business wanting to help people by giving them a place to live regardless of their past. More businesses should follow suit, but a not a lawsuit.
“I don’t know why they’re more interested in sex offenders than tourists in their hotel,” New Paltz Supervisor Neal Bettez recently told local news outlet Hudson Valley One.
Who says they are? Think tourists flock to New Paltz in droves year round? There is tourist season and then the rest of the year where bills need to be paid with income. If there is not income coming in, businesses fail.
“[W]e made efforts to get them revenue without catering to sex offenders,” Deputy Supervisor Dan Torres added.
Dumbass, they are working with the state, not PFRs themselves initially. It is economics to begin with and the need to pay bills regardless of where the money comes from to do it.
They better start to think of settling with the business and let it go.
My mistake I thought registrants filed the lawsuit and not the owners of the motel. I mistakenly thought this was the post out of Montgomery County, Maryland.
Address: 530 Main St, New Paltz, NY 12561
Phone: (845) 255-6200 give them a cal, i did ask why there are murders , thief’s, meth heads staying at their wonderful hotel.
This town’s actions is stupid, plain and simple. Is there a sign on Room 17 that states a SO is living there? Does a person online booking a room say “I’ll check the registry to make sure the hotel doesn’t have any registrants?” How did this even come up? Couldn’t somebody have said to the idiot who brought this up in a town meeting or something like that have said, “thank you for your information. We’ll look into it” and just ignore this NIMBY.
Also, in New York level one SOs don’t have to register. Whoever brought this up might be surrounded by SOs.
This makes me so frustrated. In fact, will be doing a video on this subject today. I’m worried that the ordinance by this New York town will become a trend for hotels across the country.