Austin beefing up security at former Candlewood Suites after break-ins, burglaries

City officials say the vacant Candlewood Suites hotel in Northwest Austin will soon be under a more careful watch after Council Member Mackenzie Kelly said a series of break-ins at the site created an unsafe environment for the community.

The Austin City Council purchased the Northwest Austin hotel, now known as Pecan Gardens, to house people experiencing homelessness, despite opposition from some neighbors and area business owners. Next week, the city is expected to approve a contract to fund six months of renovations at the hotel that would allow people to move in.

Kelly, who represents the area, said she learned about break-ins and other activity at the property, such as people sleeping at the hotel without permission. But what was also concerning, she said, was that the entire hotel had been vandalized and trashed.

“Damage spans all three floors of the building and in nearly every room,” she said after visiting the property this week. “Nearly all the doors were bashed in; clothing, belongings and trash were strewn throughout the hotel; and several televisions had been ripped from the drywall and stolen. The entire hotel was stripped of copper, and washers, dryers, air conditioners and electrical wiring were destroyed.”

An industrial ice machine was also ripped from the wall, which caused water damage to the entire first floor, she said. The drywall will have to be removed to prevent mold from growing, she said.

Austin police said they have responded to calls at the address for a suspicious person, criminal mischief, nonemergency assistance and trespassing, but did not have any further details on the incidents Kelly mentioned.

Security personnel will begin patrolling the area regularly, a city spokesperson said. On-site security will stay in place until the facility is ready to open as supportive housing.

“We regret that this occurred and are taking steps to secure this site and prevent it from happening again,” city officials said in a written statement.

Officials said they do not know how much the security will cost.

Pushback from neighbors

For months neighbors, business owners and other advocates voiced concerns about the project, saying that it would affect property values and the safety of their families.

Bianca Ramirez, who lives next door to the hotel and is a supporter of the Move Candlewood movement, said her family can often hear commotion — people breaking glass or causing other destruction — coming from the building at night. Her family of four also has witnessed people who are homeless walking around the neighborhood, who sometimes seem to be under the influence of drugs, she said.

“When my husband and I were looking for a house, we were trying to find a neighborhood with a good high school, and we found it,” Ramirez said. “As a woman of color, I have fought to have something better for my kids."

She said the environment has gotten worse over the last several months, as people experiencing homelessness get pushed farther from downtown Austin.

“This is not a proper place for a facility,” Ramirez said. “It’s in the middle of the neighborhood, where we have many young children walking to school.”

The pending project

The City Council purchased the building for $9.5 million to turn it into a 78-unit, permanent supportive housing project for people 55 and older who are experiencing chronic homelessness.

Next week, the city is expected to approve a one-year, $3.9 million contract with Family Eldercare to fund the renovations at the hotel, with a focus on amenities for those who have experienced homelessness for years.

The renovation budget includes converting hotel rooms into staff office space; a redesign of the lobby to promote security and community gathering; and landscape architecture.

Candlewood Suites was the fourth hotel or motel the city has purchased to convert into homeless housing. The city’s goal is to purchase 10 hotels — one in every district — to house those experiencing homelessness.

The City Council also approved a plan that will make public camping off-limits in four areas with large tent encampments once the city finds housing for homeless people living in those locations.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin beefs up security at vacant Candlewood Suites after vandalism