The Township Council has approved an ordinance aimed at curbing criminal activity at hotels and motels by requiring township licenses, background checks and limits on guest stays.
The ordinance was prompted by hundreds of police calls last year for assaults, drug overdoses and drug distribution, as well as the discovery of a meth lab in a hotel room. The council approved the measure Jan. 10 by a 5-2 vote, with Councilwomen Laura Leibowitz and Sarah Rashid dissenting.
Earlier in the meeting, Leibowitz unsuccessfully called for the ordinance to be removed from the agenda, arguing that licensing would not address issues such as loitering and criminal activity. She said the ordinance could harm vulnerable individuals and families while failing to resolve underlying problems and urged the township to consult experts.
At previous meetings, officials cited problems at the Motel 6 on Stelton Road and an extended-stay hotel on Centennial Avenue. Mayor Brian Wahler has said the hotels appear to have contracts with the state Department of Corrections and county agencies outside Middlesex County to place individuals without supervision, contributing to criminal activity and affecting nearby businesses.
Council President Michele Lombardi said the ordinance was crafted to protect residents and business owners.
“Above all, this is about putting the people of Piscataway first — their safety, wellbeing and peace of mind,” Lombardi said. “It’s about protecting the quality of life in our community and ensuring Piscataway remains a place where families and businesses can thrive.”
During more than an hour of public comment, representatives from domestic violence and homelessness organizations, along with the American Civil Liberties Union, spoke against the ordinance, while several residents voiced support.
One resident said the ordinance would displace people experiencing hardship by requiring approval to extend hotel stays beyond 89 days. She also argued the ordinance violates the Fourth Amendment by allowing warrantless access to guest information and urged the township to expand support services for people living in hotels.
The township attorney said the ordinance allows only code enforcement officials — not police — to review guest logs for compliance purposes and does not permit warrantless searches.
A representative from a coalition against homelessness said the lack of shelter space in Middlesex County has forced hotels and extended-stay facilities to serve as de facto shelters as homelessness increases statewide.
A director of a county homeless program called it cruel to evict people from hotels when they have nowhere else to go.