After years of advocacy, SB 53 – the Hotel Safety Act became law last week. On behalf of hotel owners across the state, the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA), alongside the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) led efforts to clarify when a hotel guest has rights under the landlord-tenant act.
“NCRLA worked directly with business owners, legislators and Governor Cooper’s senior policy advisers to advocate for this bill,” said NCRLA President and CEO Lynn Minges. “This important legislation would not have passed without bipartisan support from our legislators who continue to advocate for the hospitality industry.”
The law now clearly states that occupants of accommodations provided hotels, motels or similar lodging, do not have tenancy rights until they have stayed more than 90 consecutive days. This clarification creates safer conditions for hoteliers, their staff, and their guests by more clearly defining when owners and managers can take action against the small proportion of medium-term occupants who pose a danger to others.
“The Hotel Safety Bill becoming law is just one example of what the strong partnership between NCRLA and AAHOA can achieve,” said AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake. “AAHOA members own 67.7% of the hotels in North Carolina.”
After the bill received overwhelming bipartisan support from legislators, Governor Roy Cooper let the bill become law without his signature.
The law, which went into effect as soon as it was signed, was championed by hotel owners including AAHOA Past Chair (2015-16) Jimmy Patel, former Regional Director Jay (Trini) Patel, and Vinay Patel of Sree Hotels.
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About NCRLA
The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (NCRLA) serves to advance and protect the interests of more than 20,000 businesses that employ 11% of the state’s workforce and generate more than $30 billion in sales annually. www.ncrla.org
About AAHOA
AAHOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world, with Member-owned properties representing a significant part of the U.S. economy. AAHOA’s 20,000 members own 60% of the hotels in the United States and are responsible for 1.7% of the nation’s GDP. More than one million employees work at AAHOA member-owned hotels, earning $47 billion annually, and member-owned hotels support 4.2 million U.S. jobs across all sectors of the hospitality industry. AAHOA’s mission is to advance and protect the business interests of hotel owners through advocacy, industry leadership, professional development, member benefits, and community engagement.
