Anaheim resort hotel workers hoping to live closer to their jobs may soon benefit from a new influx of cash for workforce housing by way of the city\u2019s tourism district.<\/p>\n
The Anaheim City Council Tuesday unanimously backed revamping the Anaheim Tourism Improvement District in order to generate about $3 million next year for housing initiatives.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Hotel workers] either live very far\u2026or they are living in conditions that are not helpful to the health of their families,\u201d said Councilmember Norma Campos Kurtz. \u201cThere is a great desire of some of those employees to establish themselves in Anaheim, to\u2026become a homeowner [and] part of the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Councilmembers moved forward on a plan to reallocate 9% of ATID funding for housing while expanding the tourism district\u2019s boundaries to include the Viv hotel just outside of the resort.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to make a difference in people\u2019s lives,\u201d Campos Kurtz added.<\/p>\n
Originally established in 2010, the tourism district collects a 2% assessment from 93 hotels in the resort and platinum triangle areas of the city. ATID revenue for this year is projected to be $32 million.<\/p>\n
The funds have traditionally gone toward marketing, promotion and transportation needs.<\/p>\n
Now, the housing plan aims to boost a program for first-time homeowners, provide funds for one-time emergency payments to avoid eviction and help build workforce housing stock in the city for employees of assessed hotels. <\/p>\n
In September, the City Council signaled its intent to modify aspects of the tourism district ordinance and gave hoteliers time to lodge formal protests.<\/p>\n
By Tuesday\u2019s meeting, only five hotels registered a formal protest against the plan \u2014 the Anaheim Marriott the largest among them \u2014 which fell short of the threshold needed to derail it.<\/p>\n
Joshua Wang, the owner of the Quality Inn and Suites at the Park near Disneyland, spoke out against the proposed tourism district changes at the council meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m against [raising the] ATID tax,\u201d he said. \u201cPrice is very, very sensitive. Instead of raising only our zone areas hotels\u2026why not raise every hotel\u2019s\u2026taxes at the same time?\u201d<\/p>\n
Councilmember Natalie Rubalcava offered a quick reminder that the modifications would not increase the tourism district\u2019s assessment, only reallocate where a portion of existing funds will go.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to hurt the hotel industry,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is really just to help with housing initiatives for your employees.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, the Walt Disney Co. pledged on its own to donate $30 million into a newly established local housing trust fund in Anaheim for general affordable housing projects.<\/p>\n