Letter to the Editor: Motel, Hotel Owners Should Offer Services During COVID-19 Crisis

In this time of great need, I am compelled to consider what every American can do to help. Specifically, I have reached out to agencies which are already in the position to help homeless people in this county. My understanding is that there are probably about 450 people who are currently homeless. 

As I watched what homeless people, and the folks advocating for them in large cities are doing, I realized we are to be fortunate to be in a county where there could be, and currently are, organizations stepping up to address the need for emergency medical facilities. I would call upon motels and hotels to step up and offer housing for people who are in need. I am suggesting that motel and hotel owners offer their services for free, or the minimum cost to service the rooms. There are plenty of hotels and motels in the area who are not up to capacity. In shelters, which are currently at capacity housing only 37 people, there is only a six foot area established for people sleeping in the same room for social distancing, which is barely adequate. The availability to test people for COVID-19 is slowly trickling in, and there are agencies who can manage the safe placement of people. We should ALL recognize that the act of housing people is not only a humanitarian requirement, but is obviously a way to keep all of us safer. It is time for every patriotic American to step up and aid their community with respect to their available resources. 

Holly St. Clair

Chehalis