ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: February 19, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Reports TO: Housing and Community Development Committee
FROM: Phillip Burns, Development Services Director; David Paquette, Code Enforcement Manager
DATE: February 13, 2025
SUBJECT: Update on the Hotel/Motel Closure Inter-Agency Taskforce
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends to receive and file the report or provide alternative direction to staff
BACKGROUND:
There ha ve been various discussions between City Council , City staff and various outside agencies in relation to some of the older hotels and motels in town. Staff has been added to an interagency task force to address handling a subject facility if an event occurs where it has been deemed necessary to close down one of the facilities due to health and safety issues.
It is important to understand that Code Enforcement Officers are granted their authority through Bakersfield Municipal Code section 8.80.020 which grants them the powers necessary to gain compliance with the Municipal Code and applicable state codes. As related to hotels and motels, the state codes include the 1997 Uniform Housing Code, 1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, 2022 California Building, Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Codes and the California Health and Safety Codes.
Code Enforcement’s purpose is to enforce the minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property and public welfare by regulating and controlling the use and occupancy, location, and maintenance of all residential buildings and structures within the City limits of Bakersfield.
If the code enforcement officer determines that a building or structure is in such condition as to make it immediately dangerous to the life, limb, property or sa fety of the occupants or the public, it shall be ordered to be vacated, secured and maintained against entry. Every property ordered to be vacated shall be posted at or upon each room and/or exits of the building a notice to vacate.
Hotels/motels which result in complete closure generally are due to one of the following factors:
1. The building suffers a sudden, catastrophic event, most commonly a fire, resulting in the need to disconnect one or more of the required commercial utilities and/or other building code violations until repairs are completed and approved by the Building Department under an active building permit.
2. Due to deterioration or neglect the building falls into disrepair and no longer meets the minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property and public welfare.
Occasionally, a hotel/motel subject to closure operated as a combination traditional hotel with overnight guest accommodation of fewer than seven days and Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units that are rented month-to-month or for a more extended period for people who need affordable housing.
A hotel/motel closure potentially results in the displacement of people including families residing within the hotel. In many cases, subjects being displaced are clients receiving services from various other County and Non-Profit agencies.
Kern County Public Health formed the Hotel/Motel Closure Taskforce with members participating from multiple agencies including Kern County Environmental Health, Public Health, Human Services, Aging & Adult Services, Bakersfield Code Enforcement, Police Department, Fire Department and FLOOD Ministries. The primary intent of the group is to maintain a current list of agency contacts to coordinate and collaborate with relocation efforts of displaced people who are clients of the respected agency.
The Taskforce meets at least once every quarter and on an as needed basis for active closure activities.
During the quarterly meetings staff who have regulatory responsibilities discuss potential hotels/motels at risk of a closure action in the future. Regulatory staff continuously work with the property owners of at-risk hotels in seeking voluntary compliance with meeting the minimum standards to safeguard life or limb, health, property and public welfare.
Addition analysis can be done on what areas of the City have the most difficult motel and hotels that the City can be more pro-active with and work with our real estate, development and other city partners to find ways to transition these difficult properties to a better intended use, with the goal of the highest and best use.
CONCLUSIONS
City staff continue to participate with the Hotel/Motel Closure Taskforce and will continue to meet to assess appropriate action for these properties. As an additional analysis to bring back in the future meeting an overview of the motels/hotels that are most chronic nuisance properties with strong recommendation on its best assessments for higher utilization.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The result of sharing the report from staff will have no Fiscal Impact.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
Community Character & Quality of Life
ATTACHMENTS: