A. There is a shortage of decent, safe, sanitary and affordable rental housing for very low-income persons in the city. Residential hotels have historically provided affordable rental housing of last report for those persons.
B. In 1961, there were approximately seventy-eight (78) hotels in the downtown area. Most of these were residential hotels. Sixty-eight (68) of these hotels have been demolished or converted to commercial uses. The majority were residential hotels.
C. In 1960, residential hotels provided three thousand five hundred fifty-eight (3,558) housing units. By 1986, there were only one thousand thirteen (1,013) of these original residential hotel units left, and by 2006 the number of residential hotel units covered by the 1986 ordinance had decreased to seven hundred twelve (712) units, distributed among ten (10) residential hotels.
D. Residential hotels provide permanent housing for very low-income persons, many of whom are elderly or disabled. Most of these residential hotel units are occupied by persons who are not transient; the residential hotel is their only residence.
E. There is a mounting market pressure to demolish or convert the remaining residential hotels.
F. Loss of the remaining residential hotel units, without relocation assistance, would have an adverse effect upon the displaced residents, most of whom have very low incomes. The costs of moving and locating comparable accommodations would be a financial hardship, increasing the chances that the displaced persons would become homeless.
G. Low-income housing in the downtown area is a diminishing resource.
H. It is in the public interest that demolition and/or conversion of residential hotels be regulated in order to protect the resident tenants.
I. It is in the public interest to ensure that at least seven hundred twelve (712) residential hotel or comparable units remain within the city of Sacramento. (Ord. 2006-056 § 1)