Aging Redding hotels have become a bit of a nuisance in recent years. Officials say many of them are havens for drug and criminal activity.
The proposed ordinance aims to clean up run down Redding hotels, and with it, clean up their clientele.
Early next year, the Redding City Council will target criminal activity at its source, a group of downtown hotels.
"Ultimately the punishment could be the revocation of a permit and the inability of the owner to operate at that location," said Redding City Manager Kurt Starman.
Starman said Monday, a proposed ordinance would set a new standard for all Redding hotels and motels.
"For most hotels, it wont be an issue and they will easily comply and it wont be a problem, but for some, it may be more of a challenge, said Starman.
For example, the Redding Inn and the Americana Lodge are know for their problems. Police constantly respond for violent crimes, prostitution, and drugs.
"There is nothing but drug activity, everything goes on at this motel, the owner don't care. he does not care who rents to him or anything," said a prior resident of the Americana Lodge.
He said criminals are drawn there because owners turn a blind eye, in return repairs are not made to the facility.
"Thats what needs to be happening, they need to crack down on these places that are being run down, or they need to shut it down," said the man.
"We want to make sure the hotel or motel is providing a quality product to its customers and also it is being a good neighbor to other businesses in the are and the community as a whole," said Starman.
The proposed ordinance would achieve that goal by fining or shutting down hotels that have too many calls to law enforcement.. or don't pass an annual inspection.
Starman says plans similar to this one have been implemented in other cities and have been pretty successful. hotels would have to pay a few hundred dollar fee to support the program.
