Homeless-hotel space at $4,830/mo. per room

The city is so desperate to find space for the homeless that it’s booking more than 1,100 hotel rooms a day as emergency shelter at an average cost of $4,830 a month for each one, officials said Wednesday.

While the practice isn’t new, Homeless Services Commissioner Gilbert Taylor said at a City Council hearing that the shortterm use of hotel rooms has increased from two years ago.

“Right now we’re using the rooms at the capacity that we have because we need it in order to accommodate the demand,” he said.

Taylor told reporters that hotels with added social services are preferred over units in regular buildings because using cheap apartments reduces the affordablehousing market.

City officials wouldn’t say how many homeless people are spread out among the 45 hotels being used as shelters.

But Council General Welfare Committee chair Steve Levin zeroed in on the hefty price tag.

It was only last year that city officials complained that regular apartments it rents for the homeless were a ripoff at $3,000 a month.

“It raises a question, and there’s no good option here, but $4,000 or more a month on a hotel room is obviously very expensive,” said Levin (DBrooklyn).

The city currently houses nearly 58,000 homeless.