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Stanton City Council members are continuing the citywide crackdown on problematic motels by strengthening existing laws to curb drug use, prostitution and other street crimes.
It comes more than a year since city officials first imposed a moratorium on new motels being built in one of Orange County’s smallest cities amid concerns that the establishments are becoming hotspots for crime in Stanton.
[Read: Stanton Extends Ban on New Motels]
It also comes as officials in Stanton – with help from state funding – have converted three motels into housing for homeless people through California’s Project Homekey initiative.
At the Jan. 14 meeting, city council members unanimously voted to overhaul city ordinances regarding zoning, permits, and operational standards for public lodging.
Councilman Donald Torres said these establishments are here to stay, but better management and guidelines are needed to address ongoing concerns.
“Motels as a business in Stanton are not going anywhere, so it’s important to have strict standards in place,” Torres said in a Jan. 21 email.
The ordinance updates operational, security, and sanitary regulations, which were last revised in 2014.
All motels along Beach Boulevard and Katella Avenue within the city are now required to obtain a conditional use permit, providing the city with greater oversight.
It comes after Stanton City Council members earmarked $16.2 million – nearly half of the $34.7 million general fund – for law enforcement.
Orange County Sheriff deputies respond to hundreds of calls to motels each year, according to the staff report.
The ordinance states sheriff deputies “respond annually to hundreds of calls related to illicit sexual activities, suspected human trafficking, narcotics violations, stolen vehicles, weapon possession, probation and parole violations, burglary, robbery, gang activity, assaults, and assaults with deadly weapons.”
Under the beefed up ordinance, people looking to stay at motels must now provide their permanent address and valid photo ID before being rented a room, and operators must keep records of all guests, according to the staff report.
The overhauled regulations also address human trafficking concerns, prohibit minors from staying at motels unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and require operators post information for victims of trafficking to seek help and resources.
Stanton resident Christian Konrad said the regulations are important, but the street crime plaguing Beach Boulevard won’t go away anytime soon.
“The drugs are never going away,” Konrad said in a Jan. 20 interview. “You have a major highway that goes all the way to the beach and to the mountains, so you are not going to combat the drug problem.”
He added that for many, motels are their only option to stay off the streets, and the most the city can do is hold the owners accountable to provide a livable standard.
Operators will have to upkeep and maintain the conditions of the inside and exterior of the public lodging facilities, including removing graffiti within 48 hours, expanding video surveillance to all entry points, parking areas, and common areas.
THey will also have to issue parking permits to guests, employees and contractors.
Motel owners will have a year to obtain zoning permits, update guest verification protocols, and adhere to the sanitary and security standards set in place by the law.
Although the city doesn’t expect to add any personnel to enforce the overhauled regulations, officials plan on working closely with motel owners to educate and answer questions about the law, according to Torres.
City officials are also expected to launch an inspection program, requiring motels to obtain compliance certifications to operate legally.
Torres said officials will continue to monitor and address the challenges of motels.
“We will be looking to Anaheim and other cities that have dealt with similar issues to have consistent enforcement across Beach Boulevard.”
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