APH campaign against proposed L.A. hotels homeless housing mandate
The committee aims to educate L.A. voters on the impacts of the ballot initiative
By Vishnu Rageev ROct 25, 2023
A NEW COMMITTEE named Angelenos Protecting Hospitality has been formed to rally people against the proposed policy requiring all Los Angeles hotels to accommodate the homeless alongside regular paying guests. In close coordination with Los Angeles voters and stakeholders, APH will launch a substantial paid advertising campaign to inform LA voters about the potential risks of this measure, the APH said in a statement.
Los Angeles residents are set to vote in March 2024 on whether to implement this as part of a measure proposed by Unite Here, a labor union representing hotel workers in the Los Angeles area. If passed, this policy would make Los Angeles the first city in America to house both the homeless and paying guests together.
APH will collaborate with community organizations to inform Los Angeles voters about the detrimental impacts of Unite Here's ballot initiative, the statement added.
“L.A.’s homeless population needs long-term solutions and specialized care that only social and health care workers can provide," said APH President and AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers. "It’s dangerous to force untrained hotel employees and guests to shoulder these responsibilities. APH will lead the effort to defeat this terrible ballot initiative so we can protect hotel employees and guests, preserve L.A.’s vital tourism industry, and keep policymakers focused on finding serious solutions to L.A.’s homelessness problem.”
APH is launching a six-figure paid advertising campaign to inform L.A. voters about the perilous implications of this measure. Placing homeless individuals in hotels alongside paying guests is merely a costly, taxpayer-funded quick fix, APH said.
This approach jeopardizes tourism, endangers hotel workers and guests, and falls short in providing the specialized care that homeless individuals require, the committee said.
A Public Opinion Strategies poll commissioned by AHLA earlier this year found that large majorities of LA residents say housing homeless people in hotels next to paying guests would burden hotel staff (81 percent), impact the city’s tourism industry (70 percent), and create an unsafe workspace for hotel staff (69 percent).
Beside the AHLA, other opponents of the homeless in hotels ballot initiative include the California Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Business Federation, the Greater Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast Los Angeles Hotel Owners Association, the LAX Coastal Chamber of Commerce, and other stakeholders.
L.A. has experienced multiple attempts to address the homelessness crisis, and this ballot measure is not a practical solution. Utilizing taxpayer dollars to house homeless individuals alongside paying guests in hotels for one night does not effectively tackle the homelessness issue facing L.A.. It only puts LA hotel employees at risk, negatively impacts tourism in the city, and ultimately undermines L.A.'s hotel industry.
According to the City of Los Angeles Initiative, Referendum & Recall Petition Handbook, Unite Here has the option to withdraw the ballot initiative as long as it is done 88 days prior to the election, which would be on Dec. 8.
Earlier this month, a poll commissioned by AHLA found that the proposed policy would discourage a majority of Americans from booking rooms in Los Angeles. More than 71 percent of Americans said they would be deterred from visiting Los Angeles for leisure or vacation if hotels were required to implement this policy, the poll said.
Many individuals raised concerns about the services and amenities hotels will provide once the policy is imposed. Seventy-five percent of the respondents said that the policy overlooks the root causes of homelessness, and 74 percent worry about inadequate focus on long-term housing solutions for homeless individuals.
Noble broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park.
The 10th StudioRes expands Noble’s long-term accommodations platform.
Noble recently acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions.
NOBLE INVESTMENT GROUP broke ground on StudioRes Mobile Alabama at McGowin Park, a retail center in Mobile, Alabama. It is Noble’s 10th property under Marriott International’s extended stay StudioRes brand.
“Noble is institutionalizing one of the most resilient and undersupplied segments at the intersection of hospitality, mobility and how people stay,” said Shah. “We are scaling a branded platform to capture secular demand that creates stable cash flow and long-term value.”
In May, Noble acquired 16 WoodSpring Suites properties through two portfolio transactions, expanding its platform in branded long-term accommodations.
Noah Silverman, Marriott International’s global development officer, U.S. & Canada, said breaking ground on the 10th StudioRes with Noble reflects the brand’s growth and the companies’ three-decade partnership.
“With both companies’ expertise in long-term accommodations, Marriott’s distribution channels, and the power of our nearly 248 million Marriott Bonvoy members, we are confident StudioRes is uniquely positioned to generate customer demand at scale, drive performance and sustain long-term growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marriott has more than 50 signed StudioRes projects, about half under construction, the statement said. The first StudioRes opened in Fort Myers, Florida.
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AHLA Foundation is partnering with ICHRIE and ACPHA to support hospitality education.
The collaborations align academic programs with industry workforce needs.
It will provide data, faculty development, and student engagement opportunities.
THE AHLA FOUNDATION, International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education and the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration work to expand education opportunities for students pursuing hospitality careers. The alliances aim to provide data, faculty development and student engagement opportunities.
Their efforts build on the foundation’s scholarships and link academics to workforce needs, AHLA said in a statement.
"We're not just funding education—we're investing in the alignment between academic learning and professional readiness," said Kevin Carey, AHLA Foundation president and CEO. "These partnerships give us the insights needed to support students and programs that effectively prepare graduates to enter the evolving hospitality industry."
ACPHA will provide annual reports on participating schools’ performance, enabling the Foundation to direct resources to programs with curricula aligned to industry needs, the Foundation said.
Thomas Kube, incoming ACPHA executive director, said the partnership shows academia and industry working together for hospitality students. The collaboration with ICHRIE includes program analysis, engagement through more than 40 Eta Sigma Delta Honor Society chapters and faculty development.
“Together, we are strengthening pathways to academic excellence, professional development and industry engagement,” said Donna Albano, chair of the ICHRIE Eta Sigma Delta Board of Governors.
U.S. holiday travel is down to 44 percent, led by Millennials and Gen Z.
Younger consumers are cost-conscious while older generations show steadier travel intent.
76 percent of Millennials are likely to use AI for travel recommendations.
NEARLY 44 PERCENT of U.S. consumers plan to travel during the 2025 holiday season, down from 46 percent last year, according to PwC. Millennials and Gen Z lead travel intent at 55 percent each, while Gen X sits at 39 percent and Baby Boomers at 26 percent.
PwC’s “Holiday Outlook 2025” survey found that among those not traveling, about half prefer to celebrate at home and cost concerns affect 43 percent, rising to 50 percent for Gen Z non-travelers. Visiting friends and relatives remains the main reason for holiday travel, cited by roughly 48 percent of those planning trips.
Younger consumers are more cost-conscious, while older generations show steadier travel intent. This split influences travel operators’ planning: younger travelers may require clear value, bundled perks and flexible options, whereas older travelers respond to reliability and convenience. Despite overall spending pressure, travel remains a key priority, reflecting its social and emotional importance during the holidays.
PwC surveyed 4,000 U.S. consumers from June 26 to July 9, with 1,000 each from Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers, balanced by gender and region.
Generational spending patterns
Gen Z plans a 23 percent reduction in spending after last year’s 37 percent surge, while Boomers expect a 5 percent increase. Millennials are largely flat, down 1 percent and Gen X edges up 2 percent. Overall holiday spending is down 5 percent, with gift spending falling 11 percent, while travel and entertainment budgets remain stable, increasing 1 percent.
Households with children under 18 plan to spend more than twice as much as households without, averaging $2,349 compared to $1,089, highlighting the focus on family-centered experiences.
For travel and hospitality operators, these patterns suggest stronger conversion potential among older cohorts with steadier budgets and the need for clear value and cost transparency for younger travelers. Consumers are prioritizing experiences and togetherness over material gifts. Flexible fares, transparent pricing and bundled benefits such as Wi-Fi, breakfast, or late checkout can reinforce value and encourage bookings, especially among younger demographics. Gen Z’s pullback makes price-to-experience ratios decisive.
AI, timing and travel strategy
About 76 percent of Millennials say they are likely to use AI agents for recommendations, signaling a shift to “assistant-first” travel discovery. Operators must provide structured, AI-readable content, including route maps, fees, loyalty policies and inventory availability. Brands that do not may be invisible in AI-driven search and recommendation systems.
This year’s late Thanksgiving on Nov. 27 compresses the holiday booking window. Short-haul visiting-friends-and-relatives trips may see bunched reservations, increasing demand for early inventory visibility, simple cancellation policies and accurate last-minute availability. Operators should hold a portion of inventory for late bookings, streamline mobile checkouts and maintain flexible policies to capture last-minute travelers.
Strategies should be generationally targeted. Boomers and Gen X respond to comfort, reliability and multi-generational options, while Millennials and Gen Z require clear value and AI-optimized offers. Focusing on VFR travel through “home for the holidays” packages, flexible dates, partner transport and easy add-on nights can capture demand in key residential hubs.
Despite overall spending declines, travel remains a priority. Operators that deliver transparent value, AI-ready content and offers tailored to each generation can maintain bookings, convert last-minute demand and meet consumers’ evolving holiday expectations.
A TravelBoom Hotel Marketing report found that Americans continue to prioritize travel despite inflation and economic uncertainty, but with greater financial caution. About 74.5 percent plan a summer vacation and 17.5 percent are considering one, showing strong demand linked to careful budgeting.
Indian visitors to the U.S. fell 8 percent to 210,000 in June 2025, according to NTTO.
President Trump’s 50 percent tariff on Indian goods took effect on August 27.
The U.S. has seen a decline in international visitors in recent months.
INDIAN VISITORS TO the U.S. fell in June 2025 for the first time this millennium, excluding the Covid period, according to the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office. About 210,00 Indians visited the U.S. in June, down 8 percent from 230,000 in the same month last year.
The provisional figure for July shows a 5.5 percent drop from the same month last year, Economic Times reported, citing NTTO data. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s 50 percent tariff on Indian goods took effect on August 27, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to follow the “Vocal for Local” policy in his Aug. 15 Independence Day address. Beyond exports like textiles, the measure is likely to affect travel, tourism and hospitality in both countries.
The U.S. has seen a decline in international visitors in recent months, the Times said.
NTTO reported that total non-U.S. resident arrivals fell 6.2 percent in June 2025 from June 2024; 7 percent in May; 8 percent in March and 1.9 percent in February. January rose 4.7 percent and April 1.3 percent over the same months last year.
India is the fourth-largest source of international visitors to the U.S. Excluding Mexico and Canada, which share a land border, India is the second-largest overseas source after the UK.
“Combined, these top five markets, with Brazil fifth, accounted for 59.4 percent of total international arrivals in June,” NTTO said.
Travel industry leaders say it is too early to blame the drop in Indian visitors on stricter visa rules under Trump’s second term, which coincided with strained India-U.S. ties; the impact could rise if the policy continues. The U.S. mostly issues 10-year multiple-entry visitor and B1 and B2 visas, allowing holders to continue traveling, but new delays or stricter issuance norms could affect arrivals after a time lag.
“We are seeing a visible impact on the student segment this year due to delays in visa issuance, even after people have secured college admission,” a travel agent was quoted as saying in the report. “Historically, the biggest categories of visitors from India to the U.S. have been those visiting friends and relatives, business and students. The U.S. has never been a top leisure destination for Indians; that space is led by Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe, with North America following. Right now, apart from students, we are not seeing a significant impact on other segments, but if new visa issuances are affected, they will also be hit after a time lag.”
With an Indian diaspora of more than 5 million, the U.S. sees strong travel demand from India. NTTO data shows that every June since 2000 had recorded a year-on-year increase until 2025 broke the trend.
April saw high outbound travel from India. According to the tourism ministry, 2.9 million Indians traveled abroad, with the most going to the UAE, followed by Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Singapore and the U.S.
“But after May and June, travel was hit by the Pehelgam terror attack, closure of Pakistan airspace (which continues for Indian carriers and vice versa) and the Air India Ahmedabad crash,” a travel industry leader told the Times. “Every destination, especially in the west, was affected. The drop to the U.S. may not be in isolation, given how quickly western destinations were impacted.”
Global hotel RevPAR is projected to grow 3 to 5 percent in 2025, JLL reports.
Hotel RevPAR rose 4 percent in 2024, with demand at 4.8 billion room nights.
London, New York and Tokyo are expected to lead investor interest in 2025.
GLOBAL HOTEL REVPAR is projected to grow 3 to 5 percent in 2025, with investment volume up 15 to 25 percent, driven by loan maturities, deferred capital spending and private equity fund expirations, according to JLL. Leisure travel is expected to decline as consumer savings tighten, while group, corporate and international travel increase, supporting RevPAR growth.
Major cities continue to attract strong demand and investor interest, particularly London, New York and Tokyo. APAC is likely to post the strongest growth, fueled by recovering Chinese travel, while urban markets remain poised for continued momentum.
Lifestyle hotels are emerging as the new “third place,” blending living, working and leisure. The trend is fueling expansion into branded residences and alternative accommodations. JLL said investors must weigh regional performance differences, asset types and lifestyle trends when evaluating opportunities.
Separately, a Hapi and Revinate survey found fragmented systems, inaccurate data and limited integration remain barriers for hotels seeking better data access to improve guest experience and revenue.