Extended Stay Hotels

Last week, I wrote about my experiences living at Crossland Economy Studios in Lawrenceville, Ga. I took the post down, not because I exaggerated the problems there, but because the post was not well written, mostly because I was so furious. So, let me try this again.
To make a long, boring story, short, I'll just say that the place is unpleasant and dangerous. The staff is rude and incompetent and the property is getting dirtier by the day and housekeeping is almost non existent. The Manager was making a semi-effort to get things together, but she is not really capable of doing so. It looks nice, until you look past the surface.  Do not stay there.
But, that is not what I want to write about. The very presence of places like that, extended stays, is the issue. Such places have been around for a long time, but there is a twist. Instead of old, single people, reclusive artists and ne'er-do-wells, extended stays are now home to families  young couples, impoverished seniors and  anyone who has had any financial troubles. Why?
When, under Bush 2, the housing bubble burst and recession set in, a lot of home owners were foreclosed, They had to go where you could rent with no credit check and no questions asked, Pay each week and you at least had a roof over your head and utilities paid. The fact that you shared the place with hookers and drug dealers had to be overlooked. The hotel owners did not care who or what you were, as long ass you paid each week They also had no incentive to keep the property up.
Those working, who had to rent in such places, found most of their check going each week to rent, There was almost no chance to get enough together to get a real place to live. We were caught in such a cycle. Now, on Social Security, we have caught a small break or two and are, trying to find a place, Unfortunately, where we are in Gwinnett Ga. is being swamped with folks, who for some reason, think this is the Land of Milk and Honey (it is definitely not-don't move here) . There is now a housing shortage and we are ready to move far away from the Metro Atlanta area.
This, like all explanations, is much oversimplified., but it is the essence of the natter. We will get by, but I am horrified that kids are being raised in these places. One of the saddest sights imaginable is a group of children waiting outside one of these places, waiting for the school bus.
The solution? I have no idea. Many immediately recommend Housing Authority, Good idea, but there are long, long waiting lists and many of their places are not much better that the hotels. The ideal thing would be for a bunch of developers to build affordable rental properties. They could make some money, and being private, could demand that certain requirements be met by those living there, ie drug testing, This could be done. Something an little bit similar was done IN East Lake, a section of Metro Atlanta. It helped , but I see little interest in continuing to expand such ideas.
Something must be done. A fairly large part of a generation of kids are being raised with no roots, no sense of home. They will be constantly on edge after years of being raised in dangerous . hostile conditions. It is hard enough for adults, You have elderly people, who still have a lot to offer the Nation, crammed into places where they are scared to stick their heads out. Norcross, a nearby community has all but banned these hotels. severely limiting the time you can stay at one. Fine, I understand, but what then. There  will be many more living in the streets, Most folks don't know that about 25% of America's homeless are kids.  Something must be done or our streets will be like the streets of places like Rio de Janeiro, home to vast, unmanageable gangs of kids.
Bit, for the life of me, I have no good ideas.  Well, think about it. Maybe you can \come up with something. Have a fine, Blessed day and pray for those who are not so fortunate.