TOWN OF DICKINSON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The Broome County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on their enforcement efforts following County Executive Garnar’s State of Emergency declaration on May 11, 2023. The state of emergency was enacted in response to New York City’s reported efforts to relocate large groups of individuals to Upstate counties. The Executive Order prohibits hotels and multiple dwellings from contracting with municipalities to house large groups of individuals due to the extensive shortage of housing and human services available for current residents of Broome County.
Following the announcement members of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office Road Patrol visited 34 hotels throughout Broome County, delivering physical copies of the executive order and informing owners and staff of both the law and the $2,000 penalty per person, per-day levied at any hotel or business found in violation of it.
Deputies learned that a least two local hotels, the Quality Inn and Comfort Suites, both located in Vestal, had been contacted by a New York City-based organization on Tuesday, May 9th – two days before the order was issued. The organization sought to reserve blocks of at least 40 rooms for 6-12 months under a government rate for individuals the representative identified as migrants. The offers were declined by hotel management.
A third hotel was contacted seeking a similar arrangement but due to the vague nature of the call and lack of details, the source and goal of the call could not be confirmed.
Sheriff Fred Akshar said, “Our efforts to inform local hotel and business owners and the intelligence gathered confirms that New York City’s surreptitious efforts to relocate large groups of individuals to our community had begun before County Executive Garnar’s state of emergency declaration. The men and women of the Broome County Sheriff’s Office remain focused on the safety and security of the residents of Broome County, and we will continue making every effort to avoid and prevent unsafe situations or threats to public safety before they happen.”
