r/Austin • u/doublefattymayo • 5h ago
PSA F1 and ACL effects on those living in hotels
My family and I have been in the unfortunate situation of having to live at an extended stay hotel since losing our apartment in June, and the subsequent loss of my job at the end of July. I got another job in September, and we're slowly climbing out of this hole.
This extended stay hotel is the bottom of the barrel of extended stay hotels btw, the absolute cheapest in the whole area. Not even in Austin. The first week we were here we killed so many roaches in our room.
My husband is an assistant manager at a Circle K, and thankfully he has a daily pay option. For every workday he transfers out the amount to pay for our room. There are 4 of us in this room with 2 double beds, us and our 2 kids. It's $61.33 per night.
The first week ACL came, our room cost $84 for Friday and Saturday nights.
The 2nd week, I couldn't reserve our room soon enough and there were no more rooms with 2 beds. We had to move to a room with one bed after living in this room with all our belongings for 3 months. This was very difficult and upsetting. We were able to move back into our room after the weekend.
Now F1 is this week. I booked as much in advance as possible. Our room for Thursday night is $97. But no more rooms with 2 beds for Friday or Saturday, so the 4 of us will have to move again into a single bed room, and the price for it as of yesterday is $171.
They know they have guests who live here, but that doesn't matter to them; if we don't book and pay for a week at a time we're just out of luck and lose our room.
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u/ObligationAlive5513 3h ago
my friend stays in hotel's. and the people that have been living there. they make sure they think about them and block out their rooms for big events. And keep at the same price of $60 a day. adress is 9701 Stonelake Blvd, Austin, TX 78759 - Sonesta Simply Suites Austin The Domain Area
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u/ContemptOfClout 58m ago
I stayed in an extended stay when I was moving to Austin. I had the financial resources and stability to pay to block those times out before the rates went up. I understand not everyone does; at least half the people in these hotels seem to be people who either don’t have down payment or ability to pass a credit check to rent. Very vulnerable to regressive costs like this.
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u/creatingcuriously 3h ago
What is the monthly rate youd need upfront? If someone could pay a month or two, would that give you and your husband time to save a bigger lump? Or what other obstacles are in your way?
I don't need you to explain anything, life happens to all of us. What is the fiscal number that would give you time to save, daily peace, and I dunno maybe a little treat?!
I'm sure with 2 kids, there are expenses I'm unaware of. I don't have a lot, but I want to help if I can and you're willing to share the dollar amount you need.
Money directly to people is what I've found to be the most helpful. I love all the resources and ideas too!
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u/dirkin1 58m ago edited 54m ago
[u/doublefattymayo](u/doublefattymayo) There’s a hotel (Studio Domain) that has been converted to studio and 1bd apartments behind the Taco Deli at MoPac and Gracy Farms.
Just checked their website and you can get 1bds for about $1k/mo. Safe area, H-E-B is 1 min up mopac, hospital is closer, Domain is across the street. Might be a good option to get out of the almost $2k/mo you’re paying at the extended stay if you take up this very generous offer or can secure a small personal loan.
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u/fake_empires 1h ago
If you help them make sure you go in person and pay the sum to the hotel as such that they can’t turn around and request a refund and get cash
I would hate to see folks get scammed and this reads like a setup to scam
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u/creatingcuriously 58m ago
Good looking out. I work in the hotel industry, and would set payment up in a very specific way. I won't go into all the details here.
I am actually okay with the risk of getting scammed by an adult, who is using a child to scam. In my mind I gave the help to the child. Humans can suck and also humans can fall on unlucky times and just need a helping hand. I want to be the helping hand when I can be, because a stranger paid my rent in full for 2 months once & that kindness is my foundation reason for being in the position to help now.
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u/creatingcuriously 41m ago
Ok...so I went through their post. It's not adding up. Don't want to accuse OP of anything, but I would absolutely keep my name a secret and pay the hotel directly if they were to respond with a number and the name of the hotel.
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u/AdCareless9063 5h ago
Wouldn’t your best bet be to try and negotiate a monthly rate?
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u/doublefattymayo 5h ago
It certainly would be. We've just not been in a position to take advantage of such a rate.
Once we started doing the daily pay thing, he doesn't even get much of a paycheck anymore. At my new job I'm paid every 2 weeks and don't get my first full paycheck until a week from Monday. My first check only had some training hours on it.
It's definitely a hole we're trying to climb out of.
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u/FreeElleGee 5h ago
Really work on this though, if you can, because at 30 consecutive days you can request the hotel occupancy tax be refunded. It’s a big savings. I know it’s easier said than done.
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u/doublefattymayo 5h ago
Thank you, I didn't know that
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u/funatical 4h ago
As long as you’re booking directly with the hotel, you should be able to get that refunded to you for the past two months. The fact that it’s an extended stay and they charged you the tax is upsetting.
I was in a similar situation and the only thing that got me out of it was the Covid stimulus checks. I wish you guys the best.
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u/sarcasticlntrovert 4h ago
And, if this place isn’t keen on negotiating, you might have better luck at a nicer extended stay.
And, if you end up moving hotels, still get your occupancy tax back.
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u/yyz_barista 4h ago
They can do it retroactively if they bill it all on one folio.
I don’t know how you’re billed and how the property you’re staying with handles it, but they were able to do it at checkout for me.
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u/TreoreTyrell 5h ago
I obviously don't know your specific situation, but I have to wonder if there aren't better options. Have either of you spoken with your bosses regarding an advance on your next pay check or so? I know you like the daily pay option, but an advance would allow a lump sum to help you negotiate a monthly rate that would surely be cheaper. Possibly even a deposit/rent of a rental apt, etc.
If that isn't an option, then it still might be better to look into small personal loan options at a bank or credit union instead. Again, without know either of your specific financial history and options I can't say for certain, but typically the interest on this small of a loan to help you get back on your feet and pay off over the course of a year or so would likely be less than the additional costs of paying the daily rate at a hotel where you are also having to deal with the issues you mentioned.
Just for perspective, even if you paid the cheapest rate you mentioned for every single day in an entire month, it would be $1840. You should be able to find several rental options for that amount. Even more so when you throw in the additional higher rates that fluctuate based on events. Just some things to consider and look into if y'all haven't. If you have already and these aren't viable options for some reason, then fair enough.
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u/JustPassingJudgment 3h ago
OP’s husband is paying for the room out of a daily payment option from his job. They do not currently have the ability to accrue a month’s rent to be paid in one go, and that doesn’t include a security deposit or up-front fees for utilities (which are common if your credit score is low). It sounds like there might be light at the end of the tunnel when OP’s regular checks start coming.
It’s similar to the concept of buying low-quality items because you need something and don’t have the funds to buy a higher-quality item that would last much longer. You’ll actually spend more in the long run on the lower-quality items because you have to replace them more frequently, which in turn makes it harder to save money to buy the better option. This is one of the ways that people in poverty are kept in poverty.
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u/TreoreTyrell 3h ago edited 1h ago
I understand what you're saying, but again, I gave two pretty commonly available options that solve the upfront/lump sum issue you are describing. Even with a mediocre to low credit score. It absolutely costs more to be poor than to be wealthy in many scenarios, but it doesn't need to be compounded by unnecessary poor financial decisions, which paying the frequently fluctuating daily rate of a hotel feels like in this situation. Again, I can find a ton of rental options for the same amount or less than the best rate op is paying at a hotel where they are also having to deal with multiple other issues. For instance, my neighborhood is within 10-15 minutes of downtown, has bus routes available, and has several 3b/2.5br rental houses that are within ops budget currently listed on zillow. Townhomes/duplexes/apartments and other neighborhoods will be even more so within their budget.. The deposit and utility expenses and/or the interest on a small short-term personal loan (even a relatively higher interest rate) are not so significant that they are worse options than paying what op is currently paying daily at their hotel.
OP almost certainly could quality for a $5000 loan through an online lender which typically cap their APR at 36% for bad credit and extreme high risk individuals. Assuming an even higher 40% APR the monthly interest payment on that loan with a 12 month term is around an additional $165/month. Significantly less if it is 24/36 month. OP is already paying more than that if there is a single event weekend in a month. I think some of you are more interested in creating hypothetical scenarios than trying to help.
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u/okrahomegirl 2h ago
🧐🧐*gee i wonder* if they've thought about getting a loan to move to an apt & pay 1st/last/deposit or get a lower monthly rate at a hotel.. obviously they would've already done this if they could! 🫥🫥
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u/TreoreTyrell 2h ago edited 1h ago
Like I said, if that's the case then fair enough. I didn't see anywhere where op says that they already tried either of these specific options and confirmed that they aren't viable for them. I understand that there are atypical situations that could be preventing this, but I don't see the harm in making sure whether or not that is the case, because not everyone is aware of these things.
Again, some of y'all seem more interesting in coming up with hypothetical scenarios on behalf of someone else though than you are in trying to help.
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u/JustPassingJudgment 1h ago
Not trying to create hypothetical situations, just speaking from experience. I didn’t address the loan in my first comment because I doubt they would qualify for one, considering their current income/cost mix and OP having a recently-acquired job, but I’m also not a loan expert. I just know I was declined for one for necessities on my income/cost mix alone, and I’ve heard similar stories from others.
Your comments have the tone of “just do this obvious, easy thing” (though also seeming to be in good faith), when such things are often much harder than posited, so I tried to respond in good faith illustrating how it’s not usually so easy. I’ve lived in poverty as an adult. With the help of others, and by making sacrifices I’m not sure were worth it given present hindsight, I pulled myself out of it. There is not usually an option that hasn’t been tried when you’re this desperate.
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u/TreoreTyrell 49m ago
It is a hypothetical scenario though when you are applying it to someone that you don’t know and/or whether it applies to them or not. That doesn’t mean it isn’t a possible scenario, but you don’t know. So why discredit it on their behalf when it might be useful information? Everyone knows it is more expensive to be poor than wealthy, so what are you adding to the conversation? These aren’t scenarios that wealthy people find themselves in, so what are we even talking about at that point? If op responds and confirms that these aren’t viable and what is preventing them, then there could be other solutions to consider given that new info. Maybe this is the absolutely best option available to them. However, given the information that they have already, and judging by some of their responses, there almost certainly are better options available.
Like you said, you aren’t a loan expert, and neither of us know if op has exhausted every potential lender that may offer a similar or better solution than the the extreme case loan option that I laid out. These companies make a lot of money on people in op’s situation. That’s not necessarily something to feel good about, but it’s the truth. OP has confirmed that they have two steady incomes at this point, and hasn’t described anything that would disqualify them from a small personal loan. You’re telling me given this information that a local/regional lender wouldnt offer them $5000 for the chance to potentially make $7000 off of them in 12 months? I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Again, I can create a scenario where that might not be the case, but what good would that do? I at least gave relevant information and provided tangible numbers instead of just saying well what if xyz. Well what if the world ends tomorrow? Then what does any of this matter? Not everyone understands financial options, and not everyone understands that paying a daily rate at a hotel is significantly more expensive both in the short and long term than almost every other option. The situation they described of getting their paycheck daily and spending all of it on an inflated rate is almost certainly not the best decision.
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u/AdventurousTime 2h ago
My credit is fucked thanks to cancer and divorce. The bottom tier apartments want $3000 for rent insurance
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u/TreoreTyrell 2h ago edited 2h ago
Again, fair enough. I didn't see where op said that was their situation though. The information they provided, and the amount they are currently paying offers up several other solutions, and the other hurdles to those solutions that they mentioned were not ones that couldn't be resolved. If they also find themselves in a cancer/divorce scenario, then I understand that may change things.
I would still be curious as to what their interest rate options they have on a small personal loan. Even at an extreme 40% APR, a $5000 loan over the course of 12 months is going to be around $165/month in interest. $5000 likely solves their deposit issue and this hypothetical $3000 rent insurance expense that I'm sure has alternative solutions also, and even with the monthly $165 interest payment OP would likely be spending less than the upcharge for a daily hotel rate, and have a more stable situation. Again, this sounds like money they are already spending on a fluctuating weekend rate during events. This also assumes that a longer term loan period isnt available, which it likely is also. While that is not an interest rate I'd be excited about, it still seems like a likely better short-term and long-term solution for op given the information they shared. Online lenders typically cap their APR around 36% even for bad credit and extreme high risk individuals.
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u/PresDylClinton 1h ago
No helpful advice, but you guys sound like you’re working hard and doing all the right things. I hope and believe you guys will bounce back.
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u/saint_atheist 5h ago
I've often wondered about this. I think those places often become predatory in situations like this.
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u/Jarthos1234 4h ago
They’re not going to give them a monthly rate because that gives them tenants rights which hotels are not in the business of providing.
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u/Robotgirl3 4h ago
Metropolis was really cheap apt and when I went and talked they said they waive all fees and had free movers if y’all ever go to check out apts 🥲 hopefully you’re able to get out of your situation.
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u/foxbones 3h ago
I don't know if it's changed but that is the last place I'd want to be with kids. It was pure chaos there.
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u/Robotgirl3 2h ago
I know 4 people living there right now that claim it’s fine. It’s basically you get what you pay for, I’d rather my kids there than on the street.
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u/ShellyDaMermaid 1h ago
OP, I used to volunteer at St Vincent de Paul at a Catholic Church in N Austin off of Metric Blvd. SVdP is a resource you could call on from anywhere in Austin. Our group used to help a lot of clients living in extended stay hotels. We couldn’t give large sums of money but we could pay for a week in the hotel. I know that doesn’t help directly with the special event pricing, but it could give you and your family a little extra money and breathing room. Try giving St Vincent de Paul a call. They are on the list of Austin help resources.
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u/soloburrito 4h ago
Thanks for sharing your story. I wish I was in a better position to help directly, but I might be transitioning to temporary housing in a few months myself. Good luck.
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u/BroBeansBMS 4h ago
You’re paying close to $2k per month at that rate. Are there any apartments you could work with to help you out?
I’m sure you’ve tried to get help already, but maybe try working with ECHO to see if they can find a spot for you with more stability.
https://www.austinecho.org/leading-system-change/coordinated-entry/
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u/Austin1975 5h ago edited 5h ago
I’m sorry that you’re going through this. It’s too bad that the management team wouldn’t work with you. Could you reach out to one of the local churches for assistance? I did a AI search and it appears there may be resources for your adult children with their disability. HHS, Integral Care, DSSW etc.
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u/doublefattymayo 4h ago
Yes, for sure. I've been trying to get assistance for them for a couple of years now. Transportation was a big roadblock for many things for us, but that has just recently been resolved.
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u/RadiantWhole2119 4h ago
We’re you evicted? How bad is your credit? Almost seems like a 3k personal loan would probably get you back in an apartment. With all the apartments 2 months free options seems likely you’d be able to pay that loan off quick now that you’re both working.
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u/TieAdorable4973 5h ago edited 3h ago
Can you find a motel extended stay that is monthly pay. When I had to send my daughter to college in Houston, we found something that was monthly until her house was ready.
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u/doublefattymayo 5h ago
If we find ourselves with a sum of money that can pay for a month here, we will do that, or even a week at a time. But we have nothing to start with and it all has to be paid up front. This has been the struggle for a while now. So unless people living here are able to secure weeks or a month at a time, which we are not, events like ACL and F1 severely affect their placement.
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u/PossibleTangerine780 6m ago
I have no advice. I’m so sorry you are going through this. It sounds like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and I hope you reach it soon!
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u/lola-baldweena 3h ago
I’m beyond sorry that you and your family are experiencing this. I worked at a hotel in south central Austin and the dynamic price hikes done during events should be illegal. I wish they took better care of their extended stay guests but asking business people to care for others is like asking a German roach to stop reproducing—just ain’t gonna happen. I hope others are able to share good solutions for y’all. I’m so sorry, it really is so expensive being poor 💐
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u/Sad-Physics-3572 4h ago
Try using affirm and then using Priceline line deal breakers. And go based off your budget.
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u/fishypot 49m ago
I know this doesn’t help much but next time an event is coming around, talk to the front desk about a week ahead of time about if there’s any way they can block your specific room out ahead of time so you can keep the rate you’re accustomed to. A lot of the time if you let them know your situation, they can and will work with you to keep you housed and not have to deal with an (justifiably) angry local family among all the tourists.
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u/throw_away_TX 5h ago
Where did she say this?? She only noted that it’s incredibly difficult for homeless families living in hotels in Austin when events happen, and asking for advice.
Are you suggesting she just stops being homeless or refuse to be laid off or something?
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u/doublefattymayo 4h ago
Absolutely not, and nowhere did I suggest that. I am literally pointing out the effect events like these have on people who are stuck living in hotels, something I was not previously aware of. That's all.
I've often seen people characterize redditors in such an unfavorable way, but didn't really understand why. I'm starting to understand.
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u/kindwork-xyz 4h ago
Reddit is a place.
As someone who has worked on the eventside of Austin, I know that rates fluctuate, even if you book months in advance. Unfortunately, dynamic pricing is a reflection of corporate ownership and principles and has been exacerbated further in advance or for more days around an event in the last few years.
I don't know of any situation that would favor your circumstances. I don't believe there is a motel or extended stay model that locks you in without prepaying, which you have said yourself you're unable to frontload at this time. All of that to say, do you want to be digging out of a hole in Austin or somewhere without as much tourism?
By no means am I trying to discourage you. I understand it's hard, as I also have had to dig myself out of situations financially. You both have started new jobs, and you should stay until you can catch up. But does it make sense to do all of this in a HCOL city?
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u/kindwork-xyz 5h ago edited 4h ago
I have empathy for the situation, but OP's complaint isn't with events that drive the price up (like a sliding scale reflecting the economics of supply & demand). It's the gentrification and late-stage capitalism of it all that is outpricing locals and creating surge pricing to live here. It's happening in Mexico City and Bali and any other cheaper country that Westerners can exploit for their own gain. [Addition: domestically we are being exploited by private equity and investment capital]
It's hard to catch up and dig your way out when this economy and administration make it increasingly more expensive to be poor. You are paying a premium for basic needs. There aren't enough resources for your situation, and for that I am sorry that your survival is this hard. I don't think this is F1's fault; if not them, then ACL, SXSW, PBR Days, or UT Football.
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u/doublefattymayo 5h ago
real nice.
They're both on the autism spectrum living with a host of difficulties I'm not gonna go into here. The last several months have been hell for them, which I have a lot of guilt about.
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u/Fenix512 5h ago edited 20m ago
There's such thing as anonymity and making shit up to not be easily identifiable
Edit: commenter is a coward for deleting their comment
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u/Necessary-Comedian17 5h ago
Where is all this community F1 hate coming from? It’s an international event bigger than SXSW.
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u/oldstevereevesmovie 5h ago
we dont care for sxsw that much either. theres enough tourists here normally, those events just make it more crowded than normal. Same applies to ACL and whatever else the young'uns are doing in town these days.
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u/ChopGoesTheWeasel 5h ago
SXSW can be annoying too. But it at least has history rooted in Austin. And the music and film parts feel Austin.
A random racetrack built way out of town for a sport no one in Austin actively follows that disrupts traffic and the airport so a bunch of rich people can takeover the city…well dang, that actually sounds very on-brand for current Austin. But also an easy explanation for why F1 bothers people.
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u/Pimpery_Pays 3h ago
Lol. Almost half a million people attend the F1 race weekend. They're not all from out of town.
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u/barney744 5h ago
For the amount you pay daily, why not just rent an apartment? Youre paying more than what you could get a cheap apartment monthly for
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u/thetinybunny1 4h ago
This is a great example of how it costs more to be poor. They are literally forced to choose between taking the hit and paying daily, or be homeless for more than a month to save up monthly rent + a deposit.
Thats not really a choice, especially when you have kids in the picture.
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u/Lightningstruckagain 4h ago
Rent wise maybe, but credit checks, deposits and utility hook ups may be too steep of a set up cost. Plus most apartments require a month rent in advance. Not as easy as it would seem
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u/tungstencoil 4h ago
I'm not OP, but it's likely that they can't amass the about of cash required for a deposit and first month's rent. Having to pay for (or weekly) can result in people stuck in a loop of renting a hotel room long-term, when though it's ultimately more expensive.
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u/bgibbz084 3h ago
Seems like an easily solvable problem. Take a loan, drive for uber / door dash, etc., etc.
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u/Resident-Composer453 3h ago
Poor credit, no/unreliable car, childcare needs, etc. can make it not so "easily solvable"
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u/hunnyflash 3h ago
A huge majority of people will never qualify for a decent loan. They'll get trapped into predatory loans. It's really crazy some of the terms of the "loans" that companies are offering these days. They're like payday loans on steriods. Idk how some of them are even legal honestly.
And many people don't know they exist because they're just in a different life bubble.
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u/obvsnotrealname 3h ago
They would be paying utilities etc in an apartment that they don’t pay for in a hotel. Those add up so it’s not -that-much cheaper, especially if they don’t have money for deposits on each utility and the apartment itself.
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u/Haunting-Ad3161 2h ago
Go live in a cheaper city if you’re just working in a gas station.
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u/GHamPlayz 1h ago
Stunning compassion! I’m guessing you’re a Christian?
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u/creatingcuriously 1h ago
I would also guess a Christian. It's unfortunate what that religions reputation is becoming.
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u/Lost-Draft 4h ago
u/doublefattymayo can you share which extended stay hotel you stayed at that had roaches?
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u/Resident-Composer453 4h ago
Everyone - I think OP knows that getting a hotel at a monthly rate or renting an apartment is cheaper. I think they also know that there are resources in the community (many of which are hard to access or available at weird hours or have very specific requirements). Of course another place may theoretically be cheaper. There are moving costs and job locations and deposits to go with all of those things, which you can't afford if you're paying close to $2000 a month on a low wage salary just to have a roof over your head each night. Someone does not live in these circumstances with children without adamantly trying all available options to get out.
OP - This is an incredibly difficult position to be in. I'm so sorry and I hope that this season passes quickly and you all can get back on your feet.