Maxwell Drever Discusses the Conversion of Broken Hotels into Inexpensive Workforce Housing

It is certainly not a drastic leap from hotel rooms to studio apartments. The hotel room can easily be converted into an efficient apartment, thanks to the presence of a bed, some space for a desk or table, and a bathroom. Many of the older hotels boast kitchenettes that help in making the hotel room seem like a full-fledged apartment. Today many projects are hoping to provide primary supportive housing. These projects hope to integrate affordable housing units seamlessly with on-site social and medical services aimed at assisting people in getting out of homelessness.

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: COVID Paves the Way for Affordable Workforce Housing

As the nation is still grappling with the global pandemic and its aftermath, we come across policymakers debating whether to or the ways to support the seamless transformation of broken or unused hotels into affordable workforce housing. The underlying concept is compelling. COVID-19 global pandemic has compelled the closure of several commercial establishments particularly, in the badly-stricken New York City. In specific sectors, the impact has been huge. These sectors include hotel businesses devastated by lockdown and shutdowns in tourism, business travel, and international travel. 

These hotels are sitting empty and simultaneously, Americans have been encountering unprecedented challenges, in terms of, payment of their rent. They were already struggling with the pre-existing rent burdens that became worse and unmanageable because of the COVID-19 pandemic. All these factors have been responsible for driving homelessness and housing instability. The broken hotels, therefore, have become valuable physical assets. Housing is certainly an attractive alternative to letting them remain unoccupied.

Translation of a Dream into a Reality

The conversion of hotels into affordable workforce housing is a dream fulfillment for many dedicated policymakers. According to Maxwell Drever, the reuse of old and broken hotels by converting them into affordable workforce housing is known to be a recent phenomenon. The plan has been conceived and designed for helping low-income group people who are having a tough time finding a roof over their heads. It is supposed to be a pressing issue so far for both developed and developing nations worldwide. COVID-19 global pandemic has worsened the housing situation. Maxwell Drever is very much in favor of the mass conversion of broken, vacant, or unused hotels into highly affordable workforce housing.

The Challenges

We need to understand that all hotels are not ready for conversion to affordable housing. Some hotels, thanks to their location, business model, or design are much better candidates for smooth conversion to affordable workforce housing. In some hotels, just economical and minimal renovations may be necessary, while in others, costly gut rehabilitation may be essential to convert them for residential use. Moreover, some existing regulations could present challenges. Remember that the state is not in a position to supersede federal law. Developers are required to fulfill federal accessibility requirements.

Conclusion: Benefits Galore

Mass conversion of broken or old hotels into highly affordable workforce housing developments promise benefits galore. Some of the chief benefits will include substantially reduced construction cost, reasonably affordable rents that start from $500 every month and have the potential of easing the existing shortage of affordable housing in the United States. Mass conversion is the way to go.

Author Bio: Hi, I’m Pooja and I’m a passionate Blogger, Freelancer, Writer, and Digital Marketer. and I love tech stuff and games. Gembells, Hotmaillog.