The one where the city couldn’t say how many hotel rooms are being used for migrants

The Finance Committee’s one-minute meeting last week offered no real decisions—just a single, telling exchange that revealed how little data city officials have on a major policy issue: the number of hotel rooms being used for migrant shelter. The meeting, officially listed as a session of the City Council’s Finance Committee, lasted just one minute and featured only one question, posed by a councilmember to Chair Melissa Mark-Viverito and Chair Brennan. The exchange, pulled from a transcript, highlighted a glaring gap in transparency at a time when the city’s migrant housing strategy is under intense scrutiny.

The councilmember asked how many hotel rooms were currently being used to house migrants—a question that’s been top of mind for residents, advocates, and even city officials themselves. Chair Brennan responded that the city doesn’t have that data on hand. Instead, she cited the latest Hotel Opportunity Tax report, which shows 919 hotels with roughly 37,000 rooms reporting tax liability in 2022, down from 940 hotels and 40,000 rooms in tax year 2019. But that data doesn’t account for rooms taken offline for migrant services, which the administration has been leasing across the city. Brennan admitted the city doesn’t track or publicly report how many rooms are being used for that purpose. That lack of transparency has frustrated councilmembers and community groups alike, especially as leases continue to balloon the city’s budget.

The exchange underscores a broader issue: the city is spending hundreds of millions on migrant shelter, including long-term hotel leases, but isn’t providing basic data on where that money is going. For example, leases like the one at the Hotel Pennsylvania—reportedly costing millions per month—have drawn public criticism. Yet without a clear count of how many rooms are being used citywide, residents and watchdogs can’t assess the full scope of the program. The Finance Committee, which oversees the city’s budget, is supposed to be a check on such spending. But with meetings like this one—essentially a procedural placeholder—it’s unclear how much oversight is actually happening.

The takeaway is clear: the city needs to start reporting granular data on hotel room usage, including which hotels are being used for migrants, how many rooms are involved, and how much each lease costs. That transparency would empower residents to hold officials accountable and help councilmembers make informed budget decisions. Until then, the public is left in the dark on one of the most expensive and politically charged issues in New York City. The next Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for June—but unless real questions are asked and answered, these smoke sessions will keep delivering smoke and mirrors.