Atlantic City Takes Action: New Rules for Small Motels to Boost Safety

Atlantic City is stepping up its game to make sure smaller motels are safer places to stay. The city council just passed new rules that require these motels to have security cameras and other safety measures. This is a big deal because, for a long time, many of these places have been overlooked, leading to problems that the city has been trying to fix. The new rules mean that motels with fewer than 100 rooms will have to go through annual inspections. If inspectors find any issues, owners have 30 days to fix them or face fines. Managers also have to keep track of how many guests are staying and for how long, making sure no one stays past 90 days. Why is this happening? Well, Atlantic City has a lot of small motels, and some of them have a bad reputation for crime. The city wants to show that it's serious about making the town safe and clean. Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz said, \"We have to show people in a demonstrative way that we are serious about making Atlantic City safe and clean. \" Atlantic City is a popular spot for short-term stays, especially in the summer when people come for the casinos, beaches, and the famous boardwalk. But the smaller hotels have often been seen as trouble spots. The new rules are meant to change that. This isn't the first time a city in the area has done this. Absecon, a town near Atlantic City, already has similar rules to stop people from staying too long in motels, which has helped reduce crime. So, it looks like these new rules could make a big difference.