AUSTIN, Texas — Some business owners and neighbors in northwest Austin say they don't want a nearby hotel to house the homeless.
They protested at the Candlewood Suites on Pecan Park Boulevard on Saturday afternoon.
Last month, the Austin City Council voted to buy the hotel for $9.5 million. The goal is to house people experiencing homelessness.
Candlewood sits near US 183 and Texas Toll Road 45.
The chief financial officer for a nearby hotel says she's frustrated because she hasn't heard updates from the City of Austin.
“They want to push this project down our throats, and we say 'no,'” said Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites CFO Rupal Chaudhari. “We don't know much about it. We don't what impact study they've done. We want to know, how is this going to affect my business? I got an email yesterday from a sports team saying they don't want to be next to a homeless hotel. What am I supposed to do?”
Because the hotel sits in Williamson County, commissioners are also pushing back. They've recently hired a law firm and could soon file a lawsuit. The state attorney general could even get involved.
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