Offbeat | New York, New York! City booked USD629 hotel rooms for homeless people

A report says New York City paid a rate of USD629 a night to house homeless people at a hotel on two days in September.

The report was issued this week by Comptroller Scott Stringer. It says the city booked 30 Manhattan hotel rooms at that rate on Sept. 19 and 20.

The mayor’s office says Manhattan hotel costs rose on those days because of United Nations meetings.

The report says over a year there were 815 bookings at two Manhattan hotels for $400 a night or more. It says the average daily rate paid by the city is around $194.

A spokesman for the Department of Homeless Services says its average cost for a hotel room per night is about $174 for a family.

A mayoral spokeswoman says the city works to contain costs.

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