As principal of Dunaire Elementary School, Sean Deas has seen firsthand the struggles faced by children living in extended-stay hotels. About 10% of students at his school, just east of Atlanta, live in one.

The children, Deas said, often have been exposed to violence on extended-stay hotel properties, exhibit aggression or anxiety from living in a crowded single room, and face food insecurity because some rooms don’t have kitchens.

“Social trauma is the biggest challenge” when students first arrive, Deas said. “We hear a lot about sleep problems.” To meet students’ needs, Deas developed a schoolwide program featuring counselors, a food pantry, and special protocols for handling those who may fall asleep in class.

“Beyond the teaching, there’s a social part,” he said. “We have to find ways to support the families as well.”

The Benefits and Challenges of Extended-Stay Hotels

Extended-stay hotels are often a last resort for low-income families trying to find housing. Nationally, more than 100,000 students lived in hotels in 2022, according to the Department of Education, though officials say that is likely an undercount. Children living in extended-stay hotels are considered homeless under federal law, and in some Atlanta-area counties about 40% of homeless students live in this kind of housing, according to local officials.

And with rising rents and evictions, and decreased access to federal public housing, the use of extended-stay hotels as a long-term option is becoming more frequent. Like other forms of homelessness, hotel living can lead to — or exacerbate — physical and mental health problems for children, say advocates for families and researchers who study homelessness.

In the Atlanta area, inspections of extended-stay hotels have revealed ventilation issues, insect infestations, mold, and other health threats. Children living there also can experience or witness crime and gun violence. The increasing use of extended-stay hotels is a warning sign, observers said, a reflection of the lack of sufficient affordable housing policy in the United States.

Read the full article about extended-stay hotels by Andy Miller and Renuka Rayasam at Chalkbeat.